Osun Election Tribunal, An Integrity Test On The Part Of Nigeria’s Judiciary- Odeyemi

The chairman of Osun state chapter of Restoration Party, Tosin Odeyemi on Monday described election petition tribunal set up to hear the  petition filed by the flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 22 gubernatorial election, Senator Ademola Adeleke against the Governor-Elect, Mr Gboyega Isiaka Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as an integrity test on the part of Nigeria’s Judiciary.

Odeyemi said there was the need for the assigned judges to work with the utmost fear of God.

Recalls that the governorship candidate of PDP, Senator Ademola Adeleke, had asked the Election Petition Tribunal to declare him the winner of the governorship election in the state.

Adeleke made the prayer when he filed a petition at the tribunal to challenge the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and governor-elect, Mr Gboyega Oyetola

Speaking at a colloquium organised by the Odua Youth Development Initiative and the Virtues Unlimited Restorative Justice Initiative in Osogbo, on Monday, Odeyemi, said there was the need for judiciary to justify the confidence repose in  it by people of the state.

He said: “Election petition tribunal is an integrity test on the part of Nigeria’s Judiciary, hence, the need for the assigned judges to work with the utmost fear of God”

The Osun Restoration Party Chairman who described gubernatorial election that produced Oyetola of APC as a rape on the nation’s democracy said the poll was marred with irregularities.

He noted that it was unfortunate that some INEC officials deliberately worked against the wish of the people of the state.

According to him, “Although I am not a PDP member and I don’t know anything about their party because my party has a candidate in that election who happens to be a woman, but the rerun of the Osun governorship election was never an election.

“It was marred with irregularities and violence which have clearly shown the level of desperado on the part of APC in the state.

“From all indications and reports from our Field Officers, Senator Ademola Adeleke of PDP remains the elected governor of Osun state because he won that election before the results of some areas were manipulated.