Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has filed an appeal against the ruling that removed Ademola Adeleke as governor of Osun state.
The Osun governorship election petition tribunal recently decided in favor of former state governor Gboyega Oyetola.
On January 27, two of the three members of the tribunal’s panel determined that Oyetola was able to demonstrate that there was overvoting in several polling units.
In a notice of appeal submitted on Wednesday, INEC outlined 44 grounds for reversing the tribunal’s ruling.
INEC contends, among other things, that the tribunal failed to consider its preliminary objection before proceeding to decide the merits of the case.
The electoral commission further observed that there was no majority opinion because the second judge on the panel, Rabi Bashir, failed to provide her written opinion as required by section 294(2) of the constitution.
They are requesting “an order dismissing and/or striking out the petition due to lack of competence and authority.”
INEC is also seeking an order “dismissing the petition of the first and second respondents in this appeal as unmeritorious and expensive.”
In a statement released by Akindele Adekunle, the state caretaker chair of the PDP, the Osun state chapter of the party praised the panel for appealing the ruling.
“INEC took the correct action by appealing the ‘Buga verdict’ because, if upheld, contestants who lost elections would manipulate server reports and present them to a judge in order to steal the election from the genuine winner,” Adekunle stated.
