Appeal Court upholds Governor Oyetola’s victory in Osun poll

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Osun Appeal Tribunal, sitting in Abuja today upheld the victory of Governor Gboyega Oyetola in the Osun Governorship election. In a majority rule, with one justice dissenting, the appellate court held that the entire proceedings of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, was nothing but a nullity.

Justice Jummai Sankey who read the lead judgment of the appellate court, said it was wrong for a member of the tribunal panel, Justice Peter Obiora, who did not attend the entire proceedings of the tribunal, to deliver the majority judgment that sacked Oyetola from office.

The court noted that the 180 days allowed by the constitution for hearing of governorship election petition cases had elapsed. Justice Sankey who did not read details of the judgement held that Adeleke’s petition was incompetent, including his reliefs he sought therein.

According to her, PDP and its candidate failed to prove their allegation that the September 27 re-run election that led to Oyetola’s emergence, was characterized by irregularities and over-voting.

The court further held that the 1st and 2nd Respondents, Adeleke and PDP, also failed to prove that the re-run election was conducted with substantial noncompliance to the Electoral Act.

The court also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) not to produce ballot papers and record of accreditations used for the election, when it ruled that failure of INEC, to produce the ballot papers and record of accreditation did not substantially affect result of the election.