From John Dike, Osogbo

Osun state Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke,  has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), not to issue a Certificate of Return to former Gboyega Oyetola.

The governor’s request came on Saturday, following a judgement of the state’s Election Petitions Tribunal on Friday, which nullified the victory of candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ademola Adeleke at the July 16, 2022 poll.

The Osun Tribunal had ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Adeleke as winner of the election, and issue another one to Adegboyega Oyetola, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The ruling was given by a three-man panel led by Justice Tertse Kume.

The majority judgement which was read by Kume said Oyetola scored the majority lawful votes of 314, 921 against Adeleke’s 290,266.

However, in a letter to the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, Adeleke urged the Commission not to issue the certificate of return to Oyetola, pending the outcome of his appeal at the Court of Appeal.

The letter signed by Hashim Abioye, lawyer to Adeleke, read in part: “As Solicitors to the 2nd Respondent, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, we humbly write to notify you that consequent upon the dissatisfaction of the 2nd Respondent by the majority decision of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal delivered on January 27, 2023, the 2nd Respondent has applied for a certified true copy of the judgement to enable him pursue his appeal against the said judgement.

“In the light of the foregoing, we humbly ask you to apply the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, by not issuing any certificate (of) return to the 1st petitioner in the petition pending the outcome of the appeal which we are confident will be favourable to our client.”