Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
After nearly a year of legal fireworks, the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Tuesday, affirmed the election of Ademola Adeleke as the Governor of Osun State.
Adeleke who contested the governorship race on the platform of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party polled 403,371 votes, to defeat then-incumbent governor Adegboyega Oyetola, of the All Progressives Congress, who secured 375,027 votes.
The governorship poll was held on July 16, 2022 by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
However, dissatisfied with the declaration of Adeleke as the winner of the contest, Gov. Oyetola and the APC headed for the state tribunal.
In its January 27, 2023 majority verdict, the Justice Tertse Kume-led tribunal annulled Adeleke’s victory and declared Oyetola the winner of the poll.
Adeleke, however, appealed the judgment at the appeal court, which upturned the verdict of the Osun State Election Petition Tribunal and declared Adeleke validly elected.
Also dissatisfied with the appeal court ruling, the former governor, Oyetola, headed for the apex court which has now finally put the matter to rest by affirming Adeleke as validly elected on Tuesday.
