Osun Governorship Election Tribunal Faces Mystery as APC, PDP Candidates Deny Filing Petitions Against Adeleke

The legal battle over the August 15 Osun State governorship election has taken an unexpected turn, with both the APC candidate and the PDP candidate denying authorising petitions challenging Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory.

Two petitions challenging the election were displayed at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo. However, the individuals and political party officials identified with the petitions have disowned them.

The APC legal team said neither the party nor its governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, authorised the petition filed against Adeleke.

One of the party’s senior lawyers, Adekunle Adegoke, said the legal team had advised Oyebamiji against challenging the election result in court. According to him, the decision was intended to reduce tension and allow peace to prevail in the state.

The PDP candidate, Adebayo Adedamola, also denied authorising the second petition. He maintained that neither he nor his legal counsel filed a case challenging Adeleke’s victory.

Despite the denials, the tribunal secretary confirmed that petitions challenging the election had been filed, raising questions over who submitted them and the authority under which they were brought before the tribunal.

Adeleke won the election with 511,067 votes, defeating Oyebamiji of the APC, who secured 444,815 votes.

With both candidates distancing themselves from the petitions, attention is now turning to the tribunal to establish who actually filed the cases and whether the petitions were properly authorised.

The circumstances surrounding the petitions could become an important issue as proceedings over the Osun governorship election continue.