The Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has sacked Governor Ademola Adeleke from office, barely two months on assumption of office, and directed that certificate of return earlier issued to him by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should be withdrawn.
Penpushing reports that Chairman of the tribunal Justice Justice Terste Kume made the pronouncement on Friday while delivering a judgement in the suit challenging the June 16, 2022 election victory of Adeleke
The panel annulled the election of Adeleke who was the Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and declared Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the poll
The tribunal equally directed the Independent National Electoralm Commission (INEC) to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Adeleke and his Deputy, Kola Adewusi, both of whom had been sworn in, and should instead be issued to Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Penpushing further reports that the panel held that the governorship election was not held in compliance with Nigeria’s Electoral Act, and was characterized by over-voting, noting that after deducting the excessive votes, the figure Oyetola polled at the election was 314, 921, and therefore ordered that Oyetola should be returned as Governor of Osun State.
The sacked Governor it is recalled had been declared the winner with a total of 403,371 votes, and said to have won in 17 of the 30 Local Government Areas in the state, while Oyetola won in the remaining 13 local government areas with 375,027 votes
Penpushing also reports that, Oyetola, in his petition, claimed that the election was characterized by over-voting in 749 polling units, arguing that Adeleke forged the academic credentials he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to contest for the election.
Meanwhile, Adeleke is expected to appeal the ruling of the tribunal and will remain in office pending the final determination of the matter by superior courts.
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