The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Senator Ademola Adeleke as the legitimately elected governor of Osun State essentially ends a protracted legal struggle. It puts an end to their months-long legal battle with former Governor Gboyega Oyetola.
One of the five judges who presided over the case, Justice Emmanuel Agim, delivered the lead verdict, which affirmed Senator Adeleke’s victory. The court determined that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Mr. Oyetola, the appellants, had not offered sufficient proof to back up their claims of voter fraud and inaccurate accreditation.
Judge Agim emphasized that the appellants’ evidence needed to include the crucial documents from the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices at the disputed 744 voting units. As a result, it was not possible to regard these records as the primary source of information regarding the registered voters in such units. When the BVAS needed to furnish accurate voter accreditation data, it was clear that the appellants were relying on unreliable, insufficient, and unadmissible sources to back up their claims.
The court further determined that the APC and Mr. Oyetola’s expert analysis was biased because the question expert had ties to the APC and a personal stake in Mr. Oyetola. This lack of independence undermined the analysis’s objectivity, which prevented the appellant from arguing in favour of their position.
By the completion of the testimony, Judge Agim observed, “The appellant’s argument clearly crumbled,” highlighting the inadequacy of the appellant’s motion.
Once the Appeal Court decided to reverse his victory in the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had first recognized Senator Adeleke as the duly elected governor, Mr. Oyetola sought remedy at the Supreme Court.
