Appeal Court reserves judgement in Adeleke’s case

The Court of Appeal, Abuja has reserved judgment in the appeal filed by Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State.

Adeleke, on February 9, 2023, filed an appeal challenging the judgment of the Osun State Gubernatorial Election Tribunal.

The tribunal, headed by Justice Tertsea Kume, had on Friday, January 27, 2023, nullified the election that declared Adeleke as Governor of the state.

It ruled in favour of a former Governor of the state, Adegboyega Oyetola.

Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had defeated Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the July 16, 2022, gubernatorial election in the state.

Delivering the judgement, two out of the three-member panel of the tribunal held that Oyetola proved that there was over-voting in some of the polling units.

Swiftly rejecting the ruling, Adeleke described it as a miscarriage of justice and disclosed that he would appeal the judgment.

Weeks later, Governor Adeleke filed a 31-ground appeal before the Akure Division of the Court of Appeal.

Adeleke is praying the court for an order setting aside the tribunal’s decision. He is also seeking an order striking out the petition for want of competence and jurisdiction or, in the alternative, an order dismissing the petition on merit.