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The Osun Election Petition Tribunal hearing the petition of the incumbent Governor over the loss of the July 16 governorship polls to Ademola Adeleke has been postponed till October 4 for the proper commencement of the matter.
The postponement is also to avail the respondents to file their responses to the issues raised for determination.
Justice Tertsea Kume presided over the panel on Monday in Osogbo, Osun state and was also attended by other members of the panel; Justices Benedict Amaugbe and Bashiru Rabi.
Addressing the panel, Prof. Kayode Olatoke, who represented the petitioners, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola and the All Progressives Congress, (APC) informed the panel that he had filed the pre-trial form containing his responses to issues listed for determination.
Olatoke noted that the respondents, the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) Senator Ademola Adeleke and the Peoples Democratic Party, had been duly served
He appealed to the tribunal to stand down the matter for two hours, so that the respondents can also file their pre-trial form for the matter to proceed to hearing.
But lead counsel for the respondents, Prof. Paul Ananaba, who appeared with Oluwole Jimi-Bada, Mubarak Adekilekun and Nurudeen Kareem, said he had not seen copy of the petitioners’ pre-trial form.
Ananaba then insisted that the respondents should be allowed seven-day window stipulated in the second schedule of the Electoral Act for them to respond appropriately.
In his ruling, the chairman of the panel, Justice Kume, adjourned the matter to Tuesday, October 4, before which the respondents must have filed their pre-trial forms.
Meanwhile, In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Oyetola, Mr. Ismail Omipidan, the adjournment followed the decision of the tribunal to grant the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Adeleke seven days to respond to the pre-hearing form served on them by the tribunal.
According to him, at the tribunal’s sitting counsel for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Kayode Olagoke, (SAN), had informed the court of his readiness to continue with pre-hearing session, having filed his form TF008, where issues for determination were raised.
The statement further added that on the request of the tribunal for advice, Olagoke suggested that the matter should be stood down for a few hours for the respondents to also respond to the tribunal pre-hearing form.
“Counsel for INEC, Paul Ananaba, (SAN), pleaded with the Tribunal to give him seven days to respond to the pre-hearing form as he had just been served at the sitting.
“Counsel for Adeleke, Bamidele Abolarin, and counsel representing the PDP, Nathaniel Oke, (SAN), also requested the tribunal to give them the required seven days to respond,” the statement said.
“In his ruling, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Tertsea Kume, adjourned the matter till Tuesday, October 4, for proper commencement of hearing.
“Addressing journalists after the sitting, Professor Olagoke said the adjournment was not out of place and that the tribunal has the power to abridge the days required for any of the parties to respond,” he further said.