• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Osun: Tribunal accepts BVAS reports on over-voting, Adeleke’s certificates as exhibits

Much ado about Osun tribunal’s verdict

Osun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal on Thursday admitted in evidence, the Certified True Copies of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) reports that purportedly indicate over-voting in favour of Ademola Adeleke during the July 16, 2022 governorship election in the state.

Adegboyega Oyetola, governor of Osun State and his party – the All Progressives Congress (APC) are challenging the declaration of Ademola Adeleke of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as winner in 10 local government areas as well as Ademola’s academic qualifications to stand for the election.

The tribunal, led by Justice Tertsea Kume, also admitted in evidence Adeleke’s Diploma Certificate from Penn Foster High School, B.Sc Certificate from Atlanta Metropolitan State College, Letter of Attestation dated 22/5/2016 from Ede Muslim High School, NYSC Certificate of Exception and some other documents as exhibits.

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Also admitted are forms EC8As, for Olorunda, Obokun and Ila local governments, forms EC8Bs which are results of the wards and forms EC8Cs- the results of each of the 10 local governments being challenged, forms EC8D which is the summary of the overall result, EC8Es the declaration of the result and form EC9.

At the resumed hearing of the petition on Thursday, counsel for Oyetola, Saka Layoonu (SAN) tendered additional documentary evidence, including the Certified True Copy of the BVAS report.

Layoonu, while formally tendering the documents, informed the court that the evidence had been jointly cross-checked by both parties and the secretariat of the tribunal and confirmed to be accurate.

Respondents’ counsels, Jamiu Olabode (INEC), Niyi Owolade (Adeleke) and Nathaniel Oke, SAN (PDP) objected to the admissibility of the documents and indicated that they would canvas arguments in the final written addresses.

The tribunal, in its ruling admitted the documents in evidence, marked them as exhibits and adjourned till November 16.