Osun 2022: INEC, PDP Call For Dismissal Of Oyetola’s Petition

The Osun State Election Petition Tribunal hearing the suit filed by Governor Adegboyega Oyetola against the declaration of Ademola Adeleke as Governor-elect will on Tuesday receive a dossier of documentary evidence against the result declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

At the sitting of the Tribunal on Monday, Chairman Justice Tertsea Kume also adjourned the case till Tuesday, November 1 for respondents to cross-check the list of documents to be tendered, with a view to making the tendering seamless for the petitioners.

Counsel to Governor Oyetola and the All Progressives Congress (APC), Lateef Fagbemi had earlier informed the Tribunal of his intention to tender some documentary evidence to prove the alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act by INEC.

Counsel to the PDP, Alex Izinyon, while objecting to the tendering of the documents, noted that it ran foul of Paragraph three of the pre-hearing report which indicated that list of witnesses should be filed 24 hours before the hearing.

He argued that since the petitioners have allegedly disobeyed the tribunal order, the petition should be dismissed as the consequence of the action.

INEC counsel, Paul Ananaba also argued along the same line and said that the attempt to tender the documents violates the tribunal order and the petition should be dismissed.

Counsel to Adeleke, Onyeachi Ikpeazu however took a different line of argument since the petitioners were ready to tender the documents.

"They ought to have allowed the respondents to have access to it earlier and cross-check so that the tendering would be seamless," he stated.

Fagbemi while responding argued that paragraph three of the pre-hearing report being relied on by the PDP counsel was not in any way referring to documentary evidence, but calling of witnesses.“ have to sing before you dance’. So, the issue of consequences does not arise at all because we have not violated anything.

The Tribunal subsequently adjourned till Tuesday for the continuation of the hearing.