TheCable

The Osun election petition tribunal has granted permission to Gboyega Oyetola, the state governor, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to inspect materials used for the July 16 governorship poll.

The tribunal, at its first sitting on Monday, granted the plaintiffs’ ex parte request to electronically scan the voter register used for the election and the ballot papers.

At the sitting, Yomi Aliyu, counsel to Oyetola and APC, moved a motion for substituted service, alleging that Ademola Adeleke, the governor-elect, has been evading being served the petition challenging his victory.

He noted that the bailiff has served the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) and the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but has been unable to serve Adeleke.

He said: “When the bailiff arrived the residence of the second respondent to serve him the petition, the guard in his house did not allow him to serve him and out of fear, he left.”

In a ruling, Tertsea Kume, chairman of the tribunal, granted the motion by the plaintiffs and ordered that Adeleke be summoned through ‘substitution of service of notice’.

The judge said the notice should be pasted on the notice board of the tribunal.

Adeleke, candidate of the PDP, was declared the winner of the Osun governorship election which was held on July 16.

Adeleke secured 403,371 votes to defeat Oyetola of the APC, who got 375,027 votes.

In a petition dated August 5 and seen by TheCable, Oyetola asked the court to nullify Adeleke’s election because he was not qualified to contest and he was not elected by a majority of the lawful votes cast.

Oyetola said the second respondent forged the certificates submitted to INEC and did not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.