The Osun Election Petition Tribunal has continued the hearing of the petition related to the state’s July 16 governorship election until Tuesday, October 4, to allow respondents to submit their solutions to the questions posed for resolution.
Justices Benedict Amaugbe and Bashiru Rabi were present at the panel meeting, which was held on Monday in Osogbo, Osun State and presided over by the panel’s chairman, Justice Tertsea Kume.
Prof. Kayode Olatoke, who spoke on behalf of the petitioners, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, and the All Progressives Congress, informed the panel that the pre-trial form he had filed contained his comments to the points that were listed for resolution.
Olatoke, who appeared with Yomi Aliyu, and Muritala Abdulrosheed (SAN), said the respondents, Independent National Electoral Commission, Senator Ademola Adeleke, and the Peoples Democratic Party had been served.
He asked the tribunal to stand down the matter for two hours so that the respondents could also file their pre-trial form for the matter to proceed.
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But lead counsel for the respondents, Prof Paul Ananaba, who appeared with Mr Oluwole Jimi-Bada, Dr Mubarak Adekilekun and Mr Nurudeen Kareem, said he had not seen the copy of the petitioners’ pre-trial form of the petitioners.
Ananaba then insisted that the respondents should be allowed a 7-day window stipulated in the second schedule of the Electoral Act, 2022 for them to respond appropriately.
In his ruling, Justice Kume adjourned the matter to Tuesday, October 4, before which the respondents must have filed their pre-trial forms.
