The Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Osogbo has sacked Governor Ademola Adeleke as the duly elected governor of the state.
The Osun State Elections Petitions Tribujal has nullified the election of Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and declared Gboyega Oyetola, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the July 16, 2022 election as the winner of the election.
In August 2022, Oyetola, a former Osun governor, and the APC petitioned the tribunal to challenge the election victory of Adeleke.
Among several issues, Oyetola contended that there was overvoting in 749 polling units across 10 local government areas of the state.
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The Justice Tetse Kume-led panel in its judgement on Friday said there was overvoting on the examination of BVAS manipulation.
The tribunal declared that the electoral body, INEC should withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Adeleke and issue the same to Oyetola.
The majority judgement which was read by the Chairman, Justice Kume said Oyetola got the majority of lawful votes of 314,931 while Adeleke had 219,666.
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.
See What Adeleke And Oyetola Got After Deduction Of Valid Votes From Over-voting In Six Polling Units
On Friday, the Osun Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo, Osun State’s capital, ordered that the certificate of returns issued to the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, be revoked with immediate effect.
While reading the judgment in Osogbo, the panel’s Presiding Judge, Justice Tertsea Kume, stated that the election was not conducted in accordance with the electoral act.
Justice Kume explained that there was overvoting in six polling units during the election and maintained that, after deducting valid votes from these polling units, Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 314,941 while Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 290,266.
Ademola Adeleke Reacts After Losing To Oyetola At Tribunal
Ademola Adeleke, Governor of Osun State, has reacted to his defeat at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo.
Adeleke’s victory in the July 16th 2022 governorship election was overturned by the tribunal on Friday.
The governor, however, described it as a miscarriage of justice in a statement signed by his spokesman, Mallam Olawale Rasheed.
The statement read: “The Executive Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke has described the judgement of the governorship tribunal as ” a miscarriage of justice”, vowing to challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal.
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“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 Mr 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.
“I call on our people to remain calm. We will appeal the judgement and we are sure justice will be done. Let our people be reassured that we will do everything possible to retain this widely acclaimed mandate”, Governor Adeleke declared.”
