Politics
THE people of Osun State have a course to smile as the Appeal court on Friday March 24, 2023 ruled in favour of Gov. Ademola Adeleke as the duly elected governor of the state.
According to the panel of judges which issued its verdict, Adeleke is the duly elected governor of the state.
The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja dismissed the decision of an election Tribunal which had earlier annulled the election of Ademola Adeleke as Osun State governor.
The three-member panel headed by Justice Mohammed Shuaibu in a unanimous decision stated that the All Progressives Congress and former Governor Gboyega Oyetola failed to prove their case of over voting on the part of the People’s Democratic Party candidate in the election.
Recall that the Osun governorship election tribunal, in January, had held that Oyetola was able to prove that there was over-voting in some of the polling units.
The tribunal in a split document of two to one declared that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, should withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Adeleke and issue the same to former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
The majority judgement which was read by the Chairman, Justice Tertse Kume, said Oyetola scored the majority lawful votes of 314,931 against Adeleke’s 219,666.
Reacting to the verdict of the Tribunal from his country home, Ede, Governor Adeleke faulted the resolution of the over-voting question in favour of Oyetola, calling it “an unfair interpretation against the will of majority of voters.”
While urging his supporters to remain calm, Governor Adeleke vowed to appeal the judgement at the Court of Appeal, insisting he remains the rightful winner of the July 16 election.
The decision of the appeal court today goes to support the argument by the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, that there can not be over voting with the BVAS.
A.I
Tags: Gov. Ademola Adeleke
