From John Dike, Osogbo

The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Osogbo, capital of Osun State, will on Friday, deliver its judgement on the petition filed by former Governor Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), against the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate and incumbent governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, at the July 2022 poll.

Parties involved in the suit confirmed that the tribunal communicated the date to them today, January 24, even as the notice has heightened anxiety in different quarters.

The 180 days stipulated in the Electoral Act within which to hear the petition is going to lapse on January 31, 2023.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, had filed a petition at the tribunal challenging the declaration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as the winner of the election which was conducted on July 16, 2022.

Adeleke secured 403,371 votes to defeat Oyetola, who polled 375,027.

Oyetola, the immediate past Governor of the state is hinging his case on alleged election rigging by over voting, infractions in some polling units, the authenticity of the WAEC certificate presented by governor Adeleke, among other grounds.

The three-man election petitions tribunal headed by Justice Tersea Kume, had on Friday, January 13, adjourned indefinitely for judgement after parties in the petition adopted their final written addresses.

There had been accusations and counter accusations from both parties alleging plans to influence the judgement of the Tribunal

However, both the ruling political party PDP, and the opposition APC in the state are optimistic that they will get a favourable judgement from the Tribunal.