Tribunal declares PDP’s Adeleke winner of Osun governorship election

Stephen Adewale

The Election Petitions Tribunal set up for the 2018 governorship election in Osun State has declared Ademola Adeleke winner of the election.

The three-member panel said during its ruling in Abuja Friday afternoon that the rerun election that held on September 27, 2018, was illegal.

The tribunal, therefore, deducted the votes scored by the APC candidate Gboyega Oyetola at the rerun after declaring the rerun illegal.

The tribunal said Adeleke won the election at the first ballot on September 22 and the rerun that INEC devised to reach a final conclusion a week later was illegal.

“The declaration of Oyetola is null and void,” the tribunal ruled in a majority decision with one member dissenting.

“The petitioner (Adeleke) having fulfilled the constitutional requirements and scored the majority lawful vote is declared winner and returned as governor.

“The rerun in the seven cancelled units are hereby declared null and void and of no electoral effect.”

The tribunal ordered the withdrawal of the certificate of return issued to Oyetola and ordered that a new certificate of return be issued to Adeleke.

It would be recalled that in the first ballot in the Osun governorship election, the PDP candidate won majority votes of 254,698 votes while Oyetola of the APC came a close second with 254,345 votes.

Adeleke’s margin of lead, 354 votes, was lower than the cancelled votes which were 3,498. Hence the re-run in seven polling units.

At the end of the supplementary election, the PDP’s initial victory had been upturned and Oyetola was declared the winner of the poll. At the end of the tally of votes, the APC candidate scored a total of 255,505 votes while the PDP candidate scored a total of 255,023 votes.

However, with the cancellation of the rerun election by the tribunal, the initial result was recognised thus leading the tribunal to declare Adeleke the winner.

Going by precedence, however, Oyetola and the APC are expected to appeal the ruling at the Court of Appeal. Adeleke may also appeal parts of the judgement he is not comfortable with.

While the appeals go on, Oyetola will continue in office as Osun governor.

He is expected to remain in office, irrespective of the ruling of the appeal court, until the Supreme Court decides on the matter.