Osun 22: Tribunal Adjourns Sitting To October

Mohammed O. Taoheed reports,

The Osun 2022 gubernatorial Election Tribunal hearing the petition of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and Governor-elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke has postponed sitting till October 4 for the three defendants to file response to pre-trial form.

Professor Kayode Olatoke, SAN led other 49 lawyers to represent Oyetola and All Progressives Congress (APC) while Professor Paul Ananaba, SAN represented first respondent, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Bamidele Abolarin for Senator Ademola Adeleke and Nathaniel Oke appeared for Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).

The Tribunal was chaired by Tertsea Aorga Kume while Benedict Amaugbe and Bashiru Rabi were member of the Tribunal panel, the Track News Nigeria understands.

Olatoke told the court that they have filed response to pre-trial form on issued by Tribunal on Friday.

In his words: “We were served the form on Friday and we filed the response and serve all the respondents on Monday. We can go ahead with the hearing.”

Ananaba objected to petitioner’s stand on pre-trial form, adding that “We are just served the pre-trail form this morning, we need more time so that we can file our response.”

Olatoke prayed to the court to stand down the matter so that respondents can file and serve the Tribunal panel and petitioners, so that pre-trail can commence immediately.

Ananaba kicked against the advice of the petitioner’s counsel, saying, “the second schedule of schedule of Electoral Law permit us to reply within seven days. They just serve us the pre-trail form this morning so we have the privilege of seven days to reply.”

Adeleke and PDP’s counsel agreed to the argument of INEC counsel.

The Chairman of the Panel, Justice Tertsea Aorga Kume, adjourned the matter to October 4th 2022 for hearing.