News - Politics - Profiles - January 27, 2023

Tribunal Dismisses Ademola Adeleke As Osun Governor

Lois Agada January 27, 2023

3 min read

An election petition tribunal has sacked Senator Ademola Adeleke as Governor of Osun state. The tribunal which was chaired by Justice Tertse Kume dismissed Adeleke based on claims of overvoting in some polling units across the State.

In a document detailing its ruling, the tribunal ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Adeleke. It also charged the electoral umpire to issue the certificate to Adegboyega Oyetola.

The majority judgement noted that Oyetola scored the majority lawful votes of 314,931 against Adeleke’s 219,666.

Ademola vs Oyetola: governorship tussle

Oyetola, The flagbearer of the All Progressive Congress in Osun had filed a petition challenging the declaration of Governor Ademola Adeleke as the winner of the July 16 election. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeleke the winner after polling 403,371 against Oyetola’s 375,027 votes.

The petition also named his party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the electoral commission, INEC. as defendants in the suit. The tribunal which consisted of a three-member panel started hearing the election petition in August 2022.

The main argument of the petitioners was that Mr Adeleke forged the academic credentials submitted for the election. They also added that there was over-voting in 749 polling units.

Recall that the previous governorship election in 2018 was also disputed between the two candidates. It was finally resolved in the favour of Mr Oyetola by the Supreme Court after the tribunal had voided his victory.

Before the tribunal’s ruling today, Oyetola had during a welcome prayer organised for him by All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders and supporters in the state capital, claimed God promised to return him as Governor of the state. But Adeleke chided him, saying he should stop listening to the “devil’s whispering” on a possible return to government.

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