Osun election petition tribunal moves sitting to Abuja

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7 years ago

Oyetola and Adeleke FILE PHOTO

The Election Petition Tribunal, adjudicating over complaints arising from the last September 22 governorship poll in Osun State has been moved to Abuja, Sunday Tribune has gathered.

Source said the newly reconstituted three-member team compromising 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 (FCT).

When out 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.

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The noticedated October 9, 2018, and signed by the secretary of the election petition tribunal, Mr A. M. Aliyu read: “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.”

“Irrespective of the geographical location of the tribunal, the facts remain unchanged that Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke remains 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 quests 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 State, Mr Kunle Oyatomi, declined comments, saying: “I won’t react without knowing the reasons for the movement of the tribunal to Abuja.”