The court of appeal sitting in Abuja has reinstated Ademola Adeleke as the governor of Osun state.
Delivering judgment in the appeal filed by Adeleke on Friday, a three-member panel of justices held that the election tribunal erred when it ruled that the 1st and 2nd respondents (Gboyega Oyetola and the All Progressives Congress) proved their allegation of over-voting.
Following the governorship polls in the state, an Election Petition Tribunal had sacked Adeleke from office, saying that the Senator did not score a majority of lawful votes during the July 16 governorship polls.
However, in a unanimous agreement by a three-man panel led by Justice Mohammed Shuaibu, the Court of Appeal quashed the tribunal’s judgement and gave its verdict to uphold Adeleke as rightful governor of Osun State.
The Appeal Court Panel revoked the tribunal’s order which directed that a certificate of return be withdrawn from Adeleke and issued to Oyetola.
The panel upheld the issue of BVAS raised against Oyetola, stating that the Osun State tribunal was wrong to have said that there was over voting, a claim that only relied on the evidence by Oyetola and the APC, and as such, doesn’t prove their case in any way.
