The Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate in the July 16 Osun State governorship election, Senator Ademola Adeleke, on Thursday asked the state Election Petition Tribunal to dismiss the petition challenging his victory at the poll.
The respondents’ legal team asked the panel to dismiss the petition filed by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, against Adeleke’s victory at the poll.
The respondents’ counsel had drawn the attention of the tribunal to a decision of an Abuja Federal High Court that invalidated Oyetola’s nomination at the poll and asked the panel to strike out the petition.
But the lead counsel for the plaintiff, Mr Lasun Sanusi (SAN), while replying to the applications seeking the dismissal of the petition based on the decision of the Abuja Federal High Court that disqualified Oyetola from contesting the election, cited Supreme Court decisions in the case of Jegede Vs INEC, 2021.
He also cited the case of APM Vs INEC, 2002 NWLR, Pt 18 Page 159, arguing that the application to dismiss the petition based on the judgment was an abuse of the court process.
In his ruling, the tribunal Chairman, Justice Tertsea Kume declared the pre-hearing session concluded and announced that the pre-hearing conference report would be presented on Monday.
Also, after deliberation, counsel for all parties agreed to commence the full hearing starting with the calling of witnesses on October 26, 2022.
