Appeal Court Reserves Judgment On Osun Governorship Election

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reserved judgment in an appeal filed by Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun state challenging the decision of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which sacked him from office on January 27, 2023.

A 3-man panel of justices led by Mohammed Shuaibu reserved judgment on the appeal by Adeleke after taking arguments from all parties in the matter.

The tribunal had held that Adeleke did not score the majority of lawful votes during the July 16 governorship election in the state, therefore directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Adeleke and issue a fresh one to Gboyega Oyetola as the duly elected governor of Osun.

Unhappy with the decision of the tribunal, in August 2022 the former Osun governor, Oyetola
and his party, the All Progressives Congress petitioned the tribunal to challenge the victory of Adeleke on the grounds that Adeleke did not qualify to contest the election and that there was over-voting in 749 polling units across 10 local government areas of the state.

In the judgment, two-to-one decision, the tribunal held that there was indeed over-voting in some of the polling units.