Ibadan — Four people believed to be supporters of the Oyo State governor, Otunba Alao-Akala who sustained injuries in the celebration party of the governor following his victory at the Election Petition Tribunal on Monday are still lying critically ill at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan yesterday.

The four were still at the Accident and Emergency ward of the hospital as at 12.30pm when THISDAY visited.

One of them is Mr. Femi Oladipo who is the Personal Assistant to Akala. The governor, sources at the hospital told THISDAY had sent representatives to the victims at the hospital and indicated his willingness to write off the medical expenses of the victims.

A Toyota Hilux patrol van with registration number OY 28 AO7 belonging to Oyo State Planning Commission part of a UNICEF-assisted Programme which was conveying supporters of the governor after the judgment reportedly ran into a ditch when it negotiated the Oni & Sons Roundabout along Ring Road, Ibadan while on top speed.

The scene of the accident was less than 200 meters from the Oyo State High Court Complex where the judgment was delivered.Three people died instantly from injuries they sustained in the crash while the injured which were first taken to the State Hospital, Adeoyo were later transferred to the UCH owing to the critical nature of their injuries.

The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) gubernatorial candidate in the election, Senator Abiola Ajimobi who instituted the petition against Akala told newsmen on phone that he has instructed his legal team to head to the appeal court to challenge the lower tribunal verdict.He stated that the dissenting judgment of Justice Wali Basir has strengthened his determination that there is light at the end of the tunnel and declared that he was not giving up.He charged his supporters not to be distressed by the judgment which he noted had leaked before it was read.

"Our solace is in the fact that there was a dissenting judgment and that appeared to be the first time such would happen. The dissenting judgment had confirmed the undercurrent for which we have been raising the alarm. Our supporters should not lose hope and they should take solace in the fact that the Court of Appeal has been consistent in recent time and we believe they will do justice"."The judgment is a result of high level networking of some established anti-democratic community leaders and their outside backers who are raking in millions of naira from the state of affairs. All men of good conscience should rise up against this powerful group of tyrants, anti-democratic and reactionary forces. This is not Ajimobi's fight; it's a fight of decency against indecency".

"I'm not bowed. I'm a fighter. We will go all the way to the end. I thank the people of Oyo State and beyond for their support. The feedback we have been getting since yesterday (Monday) is heartwarming and encouraging."

Meanwhile, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi has led a retinue of monarchs from three of the five zones in the state on a solidarity visit to Akala on his victory at the tribunal, stating that the solidarity visit was informed by their belief that the loss of Akala at the tribunal would have been their loss too.

Adeyemi said, "we congratulate Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala on his victory at the tribunal. We are very happy and that is why we monarchs from Oyo State have come today to show our gratitude to God. Everything that happens, God knows about it, so he who is chosen by God will be the one to enjoy the support of the people."Alaafin has maintained "if the governor had failed at the tribunal, all the Obas too had failed. We Obas that are on the seats today came in order to show our support that if he falls, God forbids bad things, we will fall together.

"He said that litigation always constitute an impediment to the running of affairs by whoever that is in government because of tension, saying people would be divided at such an instance as some support the government, some would remain neutral while others would be complete enemies.