Following the election Osun tribunal’s judgment in March, declaring the People’s Democratic Party’s candidate in the 2018 governorship election in the state, Senator Ademola Adeleke, as the winner of the election, while declaring that the election that brought in Governor Adegboyega Oyetola into office was fraught with irregularities.

The tribunal also ordered that INEC to issue Adeleke his certificate of return with immediate effect but he electoral body did not issue as Governor Oyetola had already filed an appeal, challenging the tribunal’s judgment.

Today, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja will deliver judgment on the dispute arising from the September 2018 governorship election in Osun State.

According to THE PUNCH, the court issued hearing notices yesterday for the judgment and had them served on all the parties to the four pending appeals relating to the disputed poll.

Meanwhile, the state chapters of both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the PDP also expressed the hope that the judgment would be in their favour.

The state Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy of the APC, Mr Kunle Oyatomi, told THE PUNCH correspondent that the party did not entertain any fear ahead of the judgment.

Oyatomi said, “We entertain no fear. The judgment will be in our favour. The justices of the Court of Appeal will be honest enough to give judgment that will be appreciated by the entire world. Osun State has become a signpost for development and the whole world is watching.”

Also, the acting Director of Media and Strategy for the PDP in the state, Mr Sam Segun-Progress, said his party was optimistic that the judiciary would uphold justice in Adeleke’s favour.

“We have prayed, we have fasted and we believe God will not disappoint us. Our case is clear and we are not afraid, victory is sure for our party,” he said.

A five-man panel of the Court of Appeal led by Justice Jummai Sankey, had on April 24 heard the three appeals and a cross-appeal filed in relation to the election and reserved its judgments.

With Justice Sankey presiding, other members of the appeal panel which heard the four appeals, were Justices Abubakar Yahaya, George Mbaba, Isaiah Akeju, and Bitrus Sanga.

At the hearing on April 24, Governor Oyetola, the APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), urged the court to upturn the March 22, 2019 majority judgment of the state governorship election petitions tribunal, which nullified the governor’s victory.

But the PDP and its candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, who were declared the winner of the election by the tribunal, urged the Court of Appeal to affirm the tribunal’s judgment.

Meanwhile, Adeleke is in another legal battle which includes the Police and WAEC as regards submitting fake certificate to INEC, he appeared in court yesterday after he was arrested on Monday and was granted bail with permission to seek medical attention abroad while the case was adjourned.

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