Kamsi Anayo
The Chairman of the Osun Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Osogbo, Justice Tertsea Kume, on Monday, adjourned until Oct. 4, the pre-hearing of a petition filed by Gov. Gboyega Oyetola against the declaration of Ademola Adeleke as the Governor-elect.
The Judge picked the new date for the Independent National Electoral Commission, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and Adeleke, and gave them seven-days to respond to the pre-hearing form served on them by the tribunal.
The Counsel to the All Progress Congress (APC) , Prof. Kayode Olatoke , SAN, had earlier announced his appearance and the readiness to continue with pre-hearing session, having filed his form TF008, where issues for determination were raised.
But Counsel to the INEC, Ben Ananaba, SAN, however, prayed the tribunal to discountinue the pre-hearing on the grounds that he was served with the pre-hearing form this morning, adding that statutorily, they have seven days to respond.
Following the same step, Counsels to Adeleke, Bamidele Abolarin and PDP, Nathaniel Oke, SAN, also requested the tribunal to give them the required seven days to respond.
Justice Tertsea Kume, accordingly, granted them the statutory seven days to study the pre-hearing form and adjourned till October 4, for commencement of pre-hearing trial.
Olagoke, while addressing journalists said the adjournment was not out of place, but that the tribunal has the power to abridge the days required for any of the parties to respond.
“We were supposed to begin pre-hearing session this morning but unfortunately, the respondents were served an application which they were to respond to.
“What transpired in court was the
preliminaries in respect of the totality trial of the petition”. Olagoke said.
According to him, the PDP is ready to defend its victory in the last governorship election in the state, despite the ugly incident in 2018.
The APC candidate in for July 16 governorship election in Osun, Oyetola and his party, filed a petition before the Election Petition Tribunal sitting at the State High Court, Osogbo, challenging the victory of Adeleke
According to the APC, they are not satisfied with the results of the election in some of the Local Government Areas and prayed the Tribunal to return the mandate to them for justice and equity.
Recall that Adeleke was declared the winner of the July 16 governorship election having garnered a total number of 403,271 against 375,027 polled by Oyetola
