The Court of Appeal in Abuja will decide on the appeal filed by Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke challenging the nullification of his election by the state Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
By Emma Ogbuehi
The Court of Appeal in Abuja will decide on the appeal filed by Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke challenging the nullification of his election by the state Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
This comes after both parties adopted their written addresses before the appellate court on Thursday.
Adeleke and his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are urging the appellate court to overturn the judgment of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal that resulted in Adeleke’s removal from office.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), also appealed against the judgement of the Osun state governorship election petition tribunal sacking Adeleke as duly elected governor of the state.
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The Osun State Elections Petitions Tribunal nullified the election of Adeleke and declared Gboyega Oyetola, candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the July 16, 2022 election as the winner of the election.
In August 2022, Oyetola, a former Osun governor, and the APC petitioned the tribunal to challenge the election victory of Adeleke.
Among several issues, Oyetola contended that there was over-voting in 749 polling units across 10 local government areas of the state.
The Justice Tetse Kume-led panel in its judgement had said on Friday said there was over-voting on the examination of Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) manipulation.
The tribunal declared that the electoral body, INEC should withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Adeleke and issue the same to Oyetola.
The majority judgement which was read by the Chairman, Justice Kume said Oyetola got the majority of lawful votes of 314,931 while Adeleke had 219,666.
Not pleased with the tribunal ruling, Adeleke approached the Appellate Court to dismiss the tribunal judgement and faulted the resolution of the over-voting question in favour of his predecessor, calling it “an unfair interpretation against the will of majority of voters”