Osun Election Tribunal: Panel Fixes Date For Adoption Of Addresses

Justice Ibrahim Sirajo, the chairman of Osun state governorship election petition tribunal, on Wednesday, February 6, in Abuja fixed March 7 for parties to adopt their written addresses.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ademola Adeleke, had approached the tribunal to challenge the victory of Governor Gboyega Oyetola of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 27, 2018 governorship election.

Sirajo gave the date after parties had closed their cases.

Earlier, Oladeji Kazeez, agent of the APC at Unit 4, Ward 8, in Ejigbo Local Government in September 27 Osun state governorship re-run election, said the PDP’s candidate, Adeleke perfected plans to buy votes.

“Senator Ademola Adeleke had promised to bribe electorate with money while he was campaigning for the re-run election held on September 27, 2018.

“It was that reason that the security allowed only electorate and fenced persons not accredited to be part of the process,’’ he said.

Kazeez said the PDP governorship candidate had come to his village dancing and bragging about how money would decide who would get victory in the election.

“I am coming fully now, many people including rich men like Femi Otedola and Dangote are supporting me.

“Vote for me I will give you money gbagam, I will give you dollars, gbagam, I will give you pound sterling gbagam,’’ he said.

During cross examination by Mr Nathaniel Oke (SAN), counsel to the petitioners, Kazeez said he was among other agents who endorsed the result sheet before it was transmitted to his party collation agent.

Also, Mr Ayoola Soji who served as APC agent for Unit 8, Ward 9 in Ejigbo informed the panel that electoral materials were counted before him before voting commenced.

Soji said the result from his unit showed that APC scored 86 votes while PDP scored 168 votes.

Soji while responding to cross examination, said the outcomes of the voting were properly captured in the result sheet after they were sorted and counted.

The witness further told the tribunal that all party agents, including that of the PDP, signed the result sheet after the election.

At this point, Chief Akin Olujinmi, (SAN), counsel to APC, informed the tribunal of his desire to close the case.

The petitioners had alleged that both the September 22, 2018, election and the re-run conducted on September 27, 2018, were marred with massive rigging, over voting, vote buying and other malpractices.

They also alleged that the election was not conducted in compliance with the Electoral Act.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Adeleke was re-arraigned by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), on Tuesday, December 18, over alleged examination malpractice.

Adeleke was first arraigned in September 2018, on a four-count charge of alleged conspiracy and impersonation among others.

He was re-arraigned with the charges increased from four to seven-counts, but still bordering on similar offences.