The Appellant Court sitting in Abuja, on Friday, March 24, 2023, set aside the tribunal judgment that nullified the election of Ademola Adeleke as governor of Osun State, saying that the governor validly won the election.
The Court of Appeal, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of justices, led by Justice Mohammed Lawal, held that the appeal lodged by Adeleke to challenge his sack by the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal was meritorious, consequently, ordered Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to pay N500,000 to Adeleke.
During the ruling, the justice resolved that the preponderance of proof that there was over-voting in the elections rested on the petitioner, maintaining that “the party alleging non-compliance with the electoral act must prove its case without merely relying on the weakness of the other party.”
Delivering judgment, Justice Mohammed Shaibu overruled the judgment of the governorship election tribunal that nullified the outcome of the July governorship polls.
The three-man panel revoked the tribunal’s order which directed that a Certificate of Return be withdrawn from Adeleke and issued to his predecessor and All Progressives Congress candidate, Oyetola.
