Adeleke is Osun governor, Supreme Court rules

The Supreme Court has upheld the election of Ademola Adeleke as the governor of Osun state.

The court in its ruling Tuesday affirmed the March 24 ruling of the appeal court which reinstated Mr Adeleke as governor of the state after a tribunal nullified his election.

The ruling ends the July 16, 2022 governorship election dispute between Mr Adeleke who ran on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party and former governor Adegboyega Oyetola who was the All Progressives Congress candidate.

On January 27, the Osun election tribunal nullified Mr Adeleke’s election as the governor of the state. The governor was reinstated on March 24 after the appeal court vacated the tribunal judgment.  However, that ruling was again challenged by the former governor.

Delivering judgment on Tuesday, a five-member panel of the highest court affirmed the appeal court’s decision.

– Previous ruling

The court of appeal in March said the tribunal was wrong in agreeing that Mr Oyetola and the APC had proven their claim that there was over-voting.

The panel unanimously overturned the previous ruling.

“It is inconceivable to assume that the testimonies of the respondents’ witnesses had any probative value,” the court said.

The court said Mr Oyetola and the APC did not tender the voters’ registers and Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS machines) to defend their case.