In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court has affirmed Senator Ademola Adeleke as the Governor of Osun State, Nigeria. The ruling marks the end of a legal battle that has lasted for months.
The judgement was read by Justice Tetse Kume, the Chief who stated that the tribunal erred in law when it nullified the Osun State 2022 Election result. He added that Senator Adeleke fulfilled the constitutional requirement to contest for the governorship of Osun State and that the election was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act.
In January of this year, the Tribunal ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC, to revoke the Certificate of Return it had earlier provided to Governor Ademola Adeleke and
Ex-Gov Adegboyega Oyetola, the APC candidate for governor in the state’s July 16 governorship election, should be given a new one instead.
All eyes had been on the nation’s supreme court for a conclusive decision on matters pertaining to the July 16 gubernatorial election in 2022.
Reacting to the judgement, Senator Adeleke expressed gratitude to the judiciary for upholding the tenets of justice and the rule of law. He also called on the people of Osun State to unite and work towards the development of the state.
Senator Adeleke, who contested the Osun State gubernatorial election in 2018 and also in 2022 under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was declared the winner of the election by the Osun State Election Petitions Tribunal in March 2019. However, the Court of Appeal overturned the tribunal’s verdict in May 2019 and declared Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner.
The PDP and Senator Adeleke appealed the Court of Appeal’s decision at the Supreme Court. In a unanimous judgement delivered on Monday, May 9, 2023, the five-man panel of the apex court upheld Senator Adeleke’s appeal and declared him the rightful winner of the 2018 Osun State gubernatorial election.
The ruling has generated mixed reactions from Nigerians, with some hailing it as a victory for democracy and the judiciary while others expressed disappointment and concern over the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.
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