Osun 2022: Tribunal Adjourns Governor Oyetola’s Suit Till October 4

By Damilare Adeleye

The Osun Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Osogbo has adjourned the pre-hearing of a petition filed by Governor Gboyega Oyetola against the declaration of Ademola Adeleke as the Governor-elect till October 4.

Justice Tertsea Kume, the Chairman of the tribunal, fixed the date during the commencement of the hearing on Monday 26th September, and granted INEC, PDP and Adeleke seven-days to respond to the pre-hearing form served on them by the tribunal.

Earlier, Counsel to the All Progress Congress (APC), Prof. Kayode Olatoke, SAN, told the court of his readiness to continue with pre-hearing session, having filed his form TF008, where issues for determination were raised.

On the request of the tribunal for advice, Olatoke suggested that the matter should be stand down for few hours for the respondents to also respond to the tribunal pre-hearing form.

Counsel to the INEC, Ben Ananaba, SAN, said the pre-hearing could not go on because he was just served with the pre-hearing form this morning, saying statutorily, they have seven day to respond.

Counsel to Adeleke, Bamidele Abolarin and counsel representing PDP, Nathaniel Oke, SAN, also requested the tribunal to give them the required seven days to respond.

While speaking with newsmen after the sitting, Olagoke said the adjournment was not out of place, but 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.

Oke said: “what transpired in court was the preliminaries in respect of the totality trial of the petition”.

He said that PDP is ready to defend its victory in the last governorship election in the state , despite the urgly incident in 2018.

Governor Gboyega Oyetola is challenging the result of the July 16 governorship election which produced Senator Ademola Adeleke as the winner as declared by the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC).