Adeleke Eligibility Suit: Court Adjourns Hearing, Warns Against Threat To Plaintiff’s Life

A Federal high court sitting in Osogbo, has fixed January 23, 2019 for hearing in a suit bothering on the eligibility of Senator Ademola Adeleke in the September 22 gubernatorial election in Osun State and warned against threat and harassment of parties to the suit.

The plaintiffs, Messer Awosiyan Olalekan, Ojetade Thomas and Awodire Sina filed the suit before the court, seeking Adeleke’s disqualification from the September 22 governorship election for allegedly submitting fake certificates to get the PDP ticket and participate in the governorship poll.

Olalekan, Sina and Thomas, in an originating summon dated October 30th, 2018, through their counsel, Gboyega Oyewole, SAN, said that the participation of Adeleke at, and his return as the winner of the governorship primary conducted by the PDP on the 21st of July, 2018 for the purpose of him being the candidate of the party and his subsequent participation in the governorship election of the 22nd of September, 2018 as the party’s candidate, was null and void because he allegedly presented false information to the Independent National  Electoral Commission.

Adeleke’s counsel, Barrister Nathaniel Oke, SAN, who questioned the rationale behind the suit, filed a preliminary objection and counter affidavit against the originating summons.

In his submission, Barrister Femi Ayadokun, informed the court that one of the plaintiffs, Mr Thomas Ojetade was on 17th of November abducted and made to sign some documents which hava to do with withdrawal of the suit before the court, against his wish.

The presiding judge, justice Maurine Onyetenu  ordered the parties to the suit to maintain calm, adding that the court would not tolerate any threat, intimidation and  harassment of the parties to the suit. The judge thereafter adjourned the matter to Jan 23, 2019 for hearing.