The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the Osun State governorship election held last year, Ademola Adeleke, has gone to the Supreme Court to challenge the verdict of the Appeal Court which gave victory to Isiaka Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The election tribunal hearing the case against Oyetola had given the victory to Adeleke, stating that the re-run election in which Oyetola emerged winner of the guber race was illegal.
But the Appeal Court ruled against the judgement, saying that it agreed with Oyetola’s lawyers that the judgement was based on “judicial hearsay.”
Reason: Peter Obiorah who read the tribunal’s judgement was not fully active during the proceeding of the tribunal.
In the suit just filed at the Supreme Court, Adeleke is requesting that the verdict of the Court of Appeal be set aside while that of the tribunal which declared him the elected governor be upheld.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Onyeachi Ikpeazu, will be leading 23 other lawyers to argue the case.
Niyi Owolade, Adeleke’s lawyer said the argument would be against the four majority judgements of the Court of Appeal.
His words: “The appeals are against [the] majority judgement in favour of Gboyega Oyetola, All Progressives Congres, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the striking out of the cross appeals of Senator Adeleke.
“The first Appeal was against the majority lead judgement delivered by Justice J.H Sankey, it is premised on 13 grounds. Senator Adeleke is seeking the following reliefs from the Supreme court; To allow the appeal, Set aside the judgement of the appeal court delivered in favour of Oyetola and Dismiss Oyetola’s appeal against the decision of the Tribunal.
“The second appeal is against the judgement delivered in favour of the APC, is premised on 31 grounds of appeal. Senator Adeleke listed particulars of errors committed by the appeal court and sought the following reliefs from the Supreme court: To allow this appeal, Set aside the decision of the appeal court and Dismiss the appeal of the respondent against the judgement of the tribunal.
“The third judgement appealed against was the ruling in favour of INEC, it is based on 17 grounds Senator Adeleke listed particulars of errors committed by the judges of Appeal Court and sought the following: An order of the supreme Court allowing his appeal, An order of Supreme Court setting aside judgement of Court of Appeal and restoring the judgement of tribunal delivered on the 22nd of March.”
