The Osun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to give the Certificate of Return as fully elected Governor to Sen. Ademola Adeleke, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The three-man tribunal upheld the petitions filed by Adeleke and the PDP, challenging the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Gboyega Oyetola at the September 2018 governorship election.
The tribunal had earlier dismissed the objections of the APC and Oyetola. It said Adeleke’s petition has merit. The tribunal also declared the rerun election as illegal.
NAN reports that the PDP and Adeleke, had filed a petition asking the tribunal to declare that he polled the highest lawful votes and should be declared the winner.
But Oyetola, APC and INEC had filed their notices of preliminary objection contending among others that the petition was incompetent and that the court lacked jurisdiction.
The tribunal also held that the supplementary election by INEC in seven cancelled units on Sept. 22,2018, was null and void.
The tribunal ruled that the Returning Officer who cancelled the results had no power to do so.
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