Supreme Court Dismisses Suit Challenging Oyetola’s Participation In Osun Poll

Supreme court has affirmed the candidature of Gboyega Oyetola in the Osun state governorship election which held on July 16, 2022.

Gatekeepers News reports that a five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Centus Nweze, on Thursday, held that the appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lacked merit and directed the counsel to the PDP, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, withdraw it.

In September, judge of a federal high court in Abuja, Emeka Nwite voided the nomination of Oyetola and his deputy.

In his judgment, Nwite held that the nomination of Oyetola and his deputy, was unlawful and unconstitutional because Mai Mala Buni, who submitted their names to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), violated the provisions of section 183 of the constitution and section 82(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.

In December, the Abuja court of appeal set aside the judgement of the federal high court and affirmed Oyetola’s nomination as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Not satisfied with appeal court judgement, the PDP went to the supreme court.

The supreme court on Thursday, while dismissing the suit held that the PDP could not, under the law, question the process leading to the emergence of Oyetola and Alabi as candidates of the APC.

Meanwhile, Gatekeepers News reported that the Osun state governorship elections petitions tribunal on Friday sacked Ademola Adeleke as the state governor.

In August 2022, Oyetola and the APC petitioned the tribunal to challenge Adeleke’s victory in the election.

Oyetola, among several issues, contended that there was over-voting in 749 polling units across 10 LGAs of the state.

In the judgment, two out of the three-member of the tribunal held that the petitioner was able to prove that there was indeed over-voting in some of the polling units.

The majority judgement of the tribunal, thereafter, ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Adeleke and issue a fresh one to Oyetola as the duly elected governor.