Tribunal grants Oyetola, APC prayers for substituted service on Adeleke, access to election materials

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

Osun State Election Petition Tribunal sitting Osogbo, on Monday, granted the motion ex-parte brought before it by Governor Gboyega Oyetola and his party, All Progressives Congress, (APC) for substitution service on the state governor-elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

The tribunal also granted the requests of the petitioners access to inspect election materials used for the 16th July governorship election as well as scan the voters register and ballot papers.

While ruling on the two applications (motion ex-parte) of the APC and Oyetola at its maiden sitting, the tribunal, which has Justice Tertsea Kume as chairman, directed that the notice of summon should be pasted on the notice board of the Tribunal for the 2nd respondent’s attention.

Counsel to APC and Oyetola, Yomi Aliyu (SAN), while speaking on the two applications before the Tribunal said every effort made by the court bailiff to serve Ademola Adeleke, the second respondent his summon failed.

He said the bailiff went to Adeleke’s home at Aisu, Ede, but the security guard turned him away after a call was made to someone in the house that directed them not to collect the summon notice.

He said the bailiff explained (in an affidavit presented) that his security was threatened when he went to serve Adeleke the summon notice at his home.

Aliyu, therefore, prayed the Tribunal to substitute the service of the notice.

Speaking with journalists at the tribunal, Aliyu promised that the trial will be the fastest election petition in Nigeria because all the time hitherto spend on calling numerous witnesses would be limited.

Oyetola and APC are challenging the victory of Adeleke at the Osun July 16 governorship election.

They also joined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as respondents in their suit.

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