Adeleke has right to challenge Oyetola’s victory, says Tribunal

The Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, in Abuja on Friday threw out objections filed by the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission against the petition challenging their victory at the September 2018 election.

The Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, and its governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke, had filed a petition asking the tribunal to declare that he polled the highest lawful votes and should be declared the winner.

But Oyetola, APC and INEC had filed their notices of preliminary objection contending among others that the petition was incompetent and that the court lacked jurisdiction.

Delivering the lead ruling of the three-man tribunal, Justice Peter Obi, held that the objections were misconceived and struck them out.

According to the Tribunal, it had jurisdiction to hear the petition.