The election petition tribunal adjudicating over complaints arising from the conduct of the last September 22 governorship poll in Osun has been moved to Abuja,
Sunday Tribune investigation authoritatively gathered.
Credible source informed our correspondent that the newly reconstituted 3-member judges, namely Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Sirajo, who is the chairman, Justice Justice Peter Chudi Obiora and Justice Adeboye Ayinla Gbolagunte would now be conducting the tribunal’s proceedings in the Federal Capital Territory.
Though, no reason was attributed to the decision to move the tribunal to Abuja, when our correspondent visited the premises of the Osun State High Court, Osogbo, venue of the election petition tribunal, a notice indicating that the tribunal has been moved to Abuja was pasted on the board.
According to the notice, dated October 9, 2018, which was signed by the secretary of the election petition tribunal, Mr A. M. Aliyu, “this is to inform the general public that the sitting of the Osun State Election Petition Tribunal has been relocated from High Court of Justice, Osogbo to FCT High Court No 24, Apo Abuja.”
Reacting to the development, the spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, Mr Dele Adeleke, said “we were not informed of the logic behind the relocation of the tribunal to Abuja.”
He averred that “Irrespective of the geographical location of the tribunal; the facts remain unchanged that Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke remain the lawful holder of the mandate of the people of Osun State as their elected governor and that he and his team of lawyers and professionals remain undeterred in the quest to expose all electoral frauds committed by the APC and INEC to subvert the will of Osun people and retrieve the stolen mandate.”
When contacted, the director of publicity, research and strategy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi declined to comment on the relocation of the tribunal to Abuja, saying “I won’t react without knowing the reasons for the movement of the tribunal to Abuja.”