Ime Akpan
The Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Friday nullified the election of the governor of Osun State, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a fresh certificate of return to the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Ademola Adeleke.
The three-man tribunal chaired by Justice Ibrahim Sirajo voided the cancellation of election in seven polling units during the September 22, 2018 election in the state which led to a run-off on September 27, 2018.
Reading the ruling on behalf of the panel, Justice Peter Obi held that INEC’s returning had no authority to cancel the election in the seven polling units.
The Tribunal also ruled that the PDP and Adeleke proved that it was the state returning officer who cancelled the results in the seven polling units, adding that the petitioners also proved that the returning officer has no power to cancel election results of a polling unit.
The Tribunal also deducted 2,029 votes from APC scores and 1,246 votes from PDP votes in 17 polling units where there was non-compliance.
It upheld the petitions filed by Adeleke and the PDP challenging the victory of the APC and Oyetola at the September 22, 2018 governorship election in the state.
It dismissed a preliminary objection against the petition of the PDP.
The preliminary objection was filed by the APC and Oyetola, as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The three defendants claimed that the petition by the PDP and its candidate was incompetent and the tribunal lacked jurisdiction to hear it.
Meanwhile, the APC in Osun State said it will appeal the tribunal judgment.
The party’s director of publicity, research and strategy, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, said in a statement in Oshogbo after the news of the tribunal’s verdict was broken on that the verdict would not stand superior legal scrutiny.
“We are going to appeal the judgment. The verdict cannot stand superior legal scrutiny. Therefore we will appeal against it,’’ Oyatomi said.
But the PDP in the state, however, commended the judiciary on what it called a landmark judgment.
The party’s chairman, Mr. Soji Adagunodo, said in his reaction that the victory was for the people of the state.
He said the judgment shows that “we still have men of impeccable character in the judiciary.
“Kudos to the Nigerian judiciary and this shows that we still have men of impeccable character in the judiciary.
“Truly, the judiciary is the last hope of common man,” he said.
Adagunodo said since the APC had decided to appeal the judgment, PDP would await the outcome from the Court of Appeal.
With agency report
