Appeal Court to Decide on Osun Governorship Poll: Adeleke Challenges Tribunal’s Ruling

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reserved judgement on the appeal filed by Governor Ademola Adeleke of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) against a judgement of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal. The tribunal had previously invalidated Adeleke’s election as governor of Osun State. The three-member panel of justices, led by Justice M.F. Shuaibu, began sitting on the appeal at 10am on Monday. Adeleke is the appellant, while Oyetola and the All Progressives Congress are 1st and 2nd respondents in the appeal. The Independent National Electoral Commission and the PDP are also joined as 3rd and 4th respondents respectively. INEC had declared Adeleke the winner of the July 16, 2022 election after he polled a total of 403,371 votes. However, the tribunal led by Justice Terste Kume voided the election and declared Gboyega Oyetola of APC as the valid winner. Oyetola had alleged that the election was characterised by over-voting in 749 polling units, and that Adeleke had forged his academic credentials to contest for the election. The tribunal commenced sitting in August 2022, with Oyetola and the APC as petitioners, and Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and Akin Olujimi, SAN, as their lead counsels. The hearing is still ongoing as of now.