The Appeal Court Abuja, on Monday, reserved judgment to decide on the case by Senator Ademola Adeleke, challenging the decision of an election petition tribunal which nullified his victory in the Osun governorship election.
The three-member panel led by Justice M. F. Shuaibu, after listening to counsel to Mr Adeleke, Onyechi Ikpeazu; and Lateef Fagbemi, who appeared for the immediate-past governor, Gboyega Oyetola, said judgment would be delivered at a later date.
Mr. Adeleke had filed 31 grounds of appeal before the Akure division of the Court of Appeal, praying the court for an order setting aside the whole decision of the election petition tribunal which invalidated his election as governor of Osun state.
In the appeal marked: CA/AK/EPT/GOV/01/2023, Mr. Oyetola and All Progressives Congress (APC) are 1st and 2nd respondents while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the PDP are joined as 3rd respondent and 4th respondents respectively.
Senator Adeleke the guber candidate of the People’s Democratic Party had won the said election held on 16 July, 2022; however, the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, on January 27th nullified the results on the grounds of over-voting.
The two out of the three-member panel of the tribunal, ruled in favor of former governor of the state Gboyega Oyetola, holding that Oyetola proved that there was over-voting in some of the polling units.
The tribunal directed INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Mr. Adeleke and his deputy, Kola Adewusi, both of whom had been sworn in. It also directed that the certificate of return should instead be issued to Mr. Oyetola.
