Governor Ademola Adeleke of the People’s Democratic Party, has called on Osun people to remain calm over his nullification by the Election Petitions Tribunal who on Friday annulled the result of the July 16 Osun Governorship poll.
Adeleke who took to his Twitter handle on Friday after the tribunal cancellation said, “We will appeal the judgement and sure justice will be done. Let everyone be reassured that we will do everything possible to retain this widely acclaimed mandate. God bless Osun”.
Meanwhile, it was reported that the election petitions tribunal hearing the All Progressives Congress’ Adegboyega Oyetola’s petition against the victory of the PDP’s Ademola Adeleke on Friday annulled the result of the July 16 Osun governorship poll.
Justice Tetsea Kume, while delivering a majority decision, declared that the Independent National Electoral Commission did not comply substantially with the constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act.
He subsequently deducted the over-voting observed from the votes scored by the candidates and declared that Oyetola won the election, having polled 314, 921, while Adeleke’s score came down to 290, 266 as stated by the report.
The Justice directed INEC to withdraw Adeleke’s certificate of return and issue another one to Oyetola who won a majority of the lawful votes while Adeleke as the Osun State Governor lasted a mere 62 days before the nullification.
During the election held on July 16, 2022 across 3,763 polling units in 30 local government areas in Osun, the PDP won 17 of the LGAs, while the APC recorded more votes in the remaining 13.
The PDP won in Ede North, Ede South, Ifelodun, Boluwaduro, Egbedore, Odo Otin, Osogbo, Ila, Atakumosa West, Olorunda, Ilesa West, Obokun, Oriade, Orolu, Ife North, Irepodun, and Ejigbo LGAs.
The APC, on the other hand, won in Boripe, Ilesa East, Ayedire, Ifedayo, Ife Central, Ayedaade, Iwo, Olaoluwa, Isokan, Atakumosa East, Irewole, Ife South, and Ife East LGAs.
Out of the 1,955,657 registered voters in the state, 1,479,595 Permanent Voter Cards were collected before the election.