Osun: Tension as Supreme Court set to deliver judgment in guber election

By Jeleel Olawale

There is palpable fear in Osun State over the Supreme Court which set to deliver judgment today on the disputed July 22 Governorship election held last year.

It would be recalled that the Supreme Court on Monday fixed Tuesday, May 9, to deliver its judgment in the disputed July 16 governorship election in Osun State.

Investigation by our correspondent showed that the residents are in the state of fear over where the pendulum would swing between incumbent Governor, Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and past Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The state is presently in anxiety especially among politicians and their supporters over may or mar long anticipated judgement set to be delivered by the Supreme Court. The apex court fixed the 24-hour period for the judgment delivery after taking arguments from parties involved in the matter.

At the centre of the disputed election is the incumbent Governor Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke, who stood for the poll on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Adegboyega Oyetola who was the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate.

However, while Oyetola is the appellant in the Supreme Court matter, having lost at the Court of Appeal, Adeleke is the major respondent who won the Court of Appeal decision.

The Supreme Court will deliver the final verdict by 2 pm  today.

At today’s proceedings, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN argued for the APC.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja had on Friday, March 24, vacated the tribunal judgment that nullified the election of Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State.

The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of Justices, held that the appeal Adeleke lodged to challenge his sack by the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal was meritorious.

Aside from setting aside the judgment of the tribunal, the court, in its lead judgment that was delivered by Justice Mohammed Lawal, awarded N500,000 cost against the All Progressive Congress, (APC) and its candidate, Gboyega Oyetola.