The Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Osogbo has sacked Governor Ademola Adeleke as the duly elected governor of the state. Vanguard reports that the tribunal in a split document of two to one declared that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, should withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Adeleke and issue the same to former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
The majority judgement which was read by the Chairman, Justice Tertse Kume said Oyetola scored the majority lawful votes of 314,931 against Adeleke’s 219,666. However, the tribunal in its ruling said that Ademola Adeleke was eligible and qualified to contest the July 16 governorship election, PM News reports.
Shortly before the judgement was delivered security operatives armed to the teeth have been deployed to the court It was gathered that there was a large deployment of security officers across strategic locations in Osogbo, Osun state's capital city in preparation for the court's decision on the power tussle between the past governor Adegbeyoga Oyetola and his successor, Ademola Adeleke.
Former governor Oyetola had filed a petition challenging the emergence of Adeleke, a former senator and member of the PDP as the governor of Osun state in the 2022 gubernatorial election.
Meanwhile, a minority decision by one of the judges is being read as at the time of filing this report.
Details later…
