If the forensic evidence provided by the legal team of Rauf Aregbesola is anything to go by, Colonel Olagunsoye Oyinlola does not deserve to remain in Government House, Osogbo a minute longer (‘Strange Happenings In Election Election Tribunals,’ TheNEWS, 3 March 2008 edition). INEC and the police must be ashamed of themselves for allowing fraud of that magnitude to go unchecked.
Alfred Okafor,
Lagos.

The evidence as provided by the fingerprint exhibits clearly shows that Oyinlola won the 14 April 2007 gubernatorial election in Osun State by employing fraudulent means. The sane thing to do is to annul the election and allow for a free and fair contest.
Ignatius Ogunda,
Warri.

Oyinlola and his agents of corruption, intimidation and harassment must never be allowed to succeed in Osun State. Let it be known that the goveernorship election in Osun was not free and fair.
Ernest Akpata,
Calabar.

Why on earth would the tribunal refuse to admit legal and proper exhibit? The fingerprint evidence is based on verifiable scientific methods which adhere to the dictates of contemporary judicial process.
Sylvester Akonta,
Lagos.

Just like in Osun where vital forensic evidence was refused, the sitting of some tribunals in the country have also been marred by one oddity or the other. In the case of Kwara for example, the PDP, true to type, organised miscreants to disrupt proceedings. It will not be surprising if future sittings will be jeopardised by the ruling party’s ingenious shenanigans.
Shola Salako,
Ilorin.

Obviously, there is more to the rejection of forensic evidence by the Osun election tribunal than meets the eye. I am not convinced by the reasons adduced for it by the tribunal. God save Nigeria.
Florence Ojo,
Ilesha.

It is now obvious that INEC is the worst thing that happened to Nigeria during the last elections. How can our electoral system be so rubbished that votes amounted to nothing.
I regret wasting my time to cast any vote at all. The event in Osun State in particular was a big shame.
Tajudeen Jimoh,
Osogbo.

Your story on the strange malpractices in Osun State was quite interesting. In your usual investigative approach, you provided fingerprints to support your story. Well, I hope the tribunals are reading.
Tobechukwu Akuabata,
Onitsha.

I did not quite understand your story on the rigging in Osun State. How did you came about those fingerprints? Please, TheNEWS, serve us something more realistic next time around.
Wale Stephen,
Ibadan.

What happened in Osun State is a rape on democracy. How come the people who orchestrated this abuse are still in power? This is a question that needs to be honestly answered by right-thinking Nigerians.
Fabian Okonkwo,
Asaba.

Osun State is on fire because a few people think the state belongs to them. But we are all expecting the justice of God, not of man.
Ishaq Balogun,
Osogbo.

We are waiting to be the year that INEC would conduct a free and fair election in the country. If the strange things that happened in Osun State is anything to go by, we are far from reaching the promised land.
Efe Omonode,
Benin City.

From what your magazine reported, Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola has no business staying in Government House, Osogbo. You don’t need even forensic experts to prove that the elections were rigged in favour of the ruling party in the state.
Yemi Alabi,
Lagos.

It beats my imagination why the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission refused to allow the Action Congress, AC, governorship candidate in the state, Rauf Aregbesola, invite forensic experts to examine the thumbprints of so-called voters recorded in the state. No doubt, here are some unseen forces at work here.
Yemi Adeoti,
Ibadan.

Th strange happenings in Osun State show that the INEC headed by Prof. Maurice Iwu is not capable of handling future elections in the country.
Ibrahim Muhammed,
Sokoto.

I believe the use of fingerprint experts is the best thing that has happened in the detection of electoral fraud. Be that as it may, it baffles me to read that the election tribunal handling the case in Osun State wrongly rejected this innovative method.
Ekundayo Ehinlaiye,
Ibadan.

The application of sophisticated electoral fraud-detecting machinery or method has taken the world a notch higher. But why is the election tribunal sitting in Osogbo dragging the country miles behind.
To absolve itself of any dubious intent, the tribunal should accept this innovation.
Sunday Nkang,
Uyo.

Why subject Rauf Aregbesola to a wasteful venture that run into millions of naira when they knew the fingerprint verification option would not be used.
Failure to accept the novel option means Aregbesola should be compensated.
Patricia Njoku,
Owerri.

The happenings at the election tribunals in Osun and Ekiti states did not come as a surprise to me. From the outset, the tribunal in Osun behaved in a way that you could trust them. It is a pity.
John Abugu,
Ozoro.

After reading your cover story on the strange happenings at the election tribunals and looking at what took place at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, I had no doubt in my mind that a fair verdict would not be gotten from that tribunal.
Femi Ojo,
Ibadan.

Some tribunals are living up to expectation in their handling of petitions but others are not. The Presidential Election Tribunal has, however, made matters worse with its recent funny judgment.  The use of fingerprint detecting methods in the election tribunal in Osun State would have brought to the fore the many shortcomings of INEC and the system. From the look of things, Aregbesola would lose the case going by happenings at the tribunal.
Amaka Okeke,
Awka.

To the average Nigerian, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is corrupt and rigged its way into power. But have we taken time to question the Action Congress’ electoral strategies? Can Raufu Aregbesola swear of winning the towns he allegedly won truthfully without any form of malpractice?
Duro Agbefoba,
Ibadan.

As far as I know, the judges have a right to their decision due to some findings. They must have reasons for refusing the forensic experts. Something must be wrong with the people. Let’s just give them the benefit of the doubt. After all, they asked him to bring them in the first place.
Harry Obani,
Port Harcourt.

In a way, Rauf Aregbesola is simply a victim of political oppression. He should just take heart and carry his cross.
Bisi Ahmed,
Jos.

Why did the judges allow this Aregbesola guy to go through the stress of bringing the forensic experts when they knew they were going to be of no help to him. It is unfair and we believe there is something fishy about the whole process.
Nuru Oke,
Oshogbo.

It is intriguing that a tribunal which sanctioned the use of forensic examination to determine whether or not there was widespread vote rigging in an election will turn round to reject the result of such an examination. It was a very ridiculous decision which does not speak well of the Osun State Election Petitions Tribunal. The judiciary must continue to live up to its good reputation as the last hope of the common man. To do otherwise is to damage its own reputation.
Adewale Adedeji,
Lagos.