The Election Petition Tribunal will on Monday commence pre-trial sitting on the petition filed by Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, against the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate at the July 16 governorship election, Senator Ademola Adeleke.
The Court of Appeal has also declined the request by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Oyetola, that the sitting of the tribunal should be moved to Abuja, citing security concerns.
Oyetola, through his counsel, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, had written to the court, asking that the sitting of the tribunal be moved to Abuja.
But in response to the request, the acting Chief Registrar of the court, Umar Bangari, in a letter addressed to Fagbemi, said the President of the Appeal Court, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, had directed him to say that “after due consultation on, and consideration of your request to move the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal currently sitting in Osogbo to Abuja, the Honourable President is unable to accede to your request as the security agencies in the state have assured the court of their co-operation and support in enhancing the security of the tribunal and its sittings.”
Meanwhile, the Secretary of the PDP Legal Committee, Hashim Abioye, commended the Appeal Court for not acceding to the request for the relocation of the tribunal sitting to Abuja.
Contact: theeditor[at]punchng.com
