BREAKING: Appeal Court Sets Aside Tribunal Judgement, Upholds Adeleke As Osun Governor

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has overturned the decision of the Osun State Governorship Tribunal and upheld Senator Ademola Adeleke’s election as governor of the state.

Following the July 16 governorship elections in the state, an Election Petition Tribunal removed Adeleke from office, claiming that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate did not receive a majority of lawful votes.

The Court of Appeal, however, quashed the tribunal’s decision and upheld Adeleke as the rightful governor of Osun State in a unanimous decision by a three-man panel led by Justice Mohammed Shuaibu.

The Appeal Court Panel revoked the tribunal’s order which directed that a Certificate of Return be withdrawn from Adeleke and issued to his predecessor and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Gboyega Oyetola.

The panel held that the Osun State Tribunal was wrong to have said that there was over voting, a claim that only relied on the evidence by Oyetola and the APC, and as such, doesn’t prove their case in any way.

The judge faulted Oyetola and APC, that they only relied on the data from the back end server and failed to look at the voters register which forms the foundation of the whole electoral process and as such, cannot strengthen their allegations of over voting.

On the issue of jurisdiction, the court resolved in favour of Adeleke stating that according to section 285(8) of the constitution as amended, the court has every right to entertain the appeal.

The court also awarded the sum of N500, 000 against the All Progressive Congress, and its candidate, Gboyega Oyetola.