Osun election: Tribunal chairman disagrees with judgement declaring Adeleke as winner

– The Osun state election tribunal declared Ademola Adeleke of the PDP winner of the governorship election

– Justice Muhammed Ibrahim Sirajo who is the tribunal chairman however did not agree with his collegues

– The judge however asked INEC to go with the judgement of the other two judges

Justice Muhammed Ibrahim Sirajo who is the chairman of the Osun State Elections Petitions Tribunal has dismissed the petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke.

The tribunal chairman delivered a dissenting judgement in the Osun State governorship election petition on Friday, March 22.

 

He said the petitioners failed to prove their claims and ruled that where it is established that there is non compliance, the tribunal does not have “the powers to subtract the votes of the non compliance and declare a candidate winner.”

He added that” under Section 140(3) of the Electoral Act, where substantial non compliance is proved, the tribunal can only order a supplementary or fresh election.”

The judge however advised INEC to only comply with the majority decisions concurrently delivered by Justices Peter Chudi Obiorah and Adegboye Ayinla Gbolagunte.

In a two to one verdict, Adeleke of the PDP was declared winner by the tribunal.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun says it will appeal the tribunal judgment that declared Sen. Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the September 2018 re-run governorship election in Osun.

Kunle Oyatomi, the APC Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, said in a statement on Friday in Osogbo that the verdict would not stand superior legal scrutiny.