The State of Osun was in a twin mood last week Friday, following the judgment of the Osun State governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja.

The final judgment given by the court was that the election of Governor Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was illegal and went ahead to declare that Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is the winner of the 2018 gubernatorial election held in the state.

The tribunal had, by a majority judgment of two members, voided the election of Oyetola and pronounced Ademola Adeleke of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) winner.

Justice Peter Obiora, who delivered the majority judgment of the tribunal also ordered that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) immediately issue a fresh certificate of return to Adeleke as the lawful and validly elected governor of Osun State, after declaring that the re-run election as illegal.

But, the INEC disclosed that it can only issue a certificate of return to Sen Adeleke, only if the embattled Governor Oyetola failed to appeal the judgment of the tribunal that sacked him within 21 days.

This was made known by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee for INEC, Festus Okoye, while debunking rumours that the commission has issued a certificate of return to Sen. Adeleke .

In a counter action to the tribunal ruling, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Adegboyega Oyetola have now asked the Court of Appeal in Abuja to reverse the majority judgment given on March 22 by the Osun State governorship election petition tribunal.

In the 39-ground notice of appeal filed by their team of lawyers, led by Wole Olanipekun (SAN), the APC and Oyetola faulted the majority judgment given by Justices Peter Obiora and Anyinla Gbolagunte on the grounds that it was perverse, replete with contradictions and not supported by evidence led by the petitioners.

APC and Oyetola want the Court of Appeal to uphold their appeal, set aside the majority judgment and dismiss the October 16, 2018 petition by PDP and Adeleke.

Also, the former governor of the state, Rauf Aregbesola, has also stated that the judgment given at the tribunal will not stand in a statement released yesterday, stating that the judgment given by the tribunal did not affect the APC or Governor Oyetola but was majorly on INEC’s conduct of the election.

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