The newly constituted Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Osun State yesterday began sitting on petitions and counter-petitions filed over the just concluded Osun State governorship election.
It would be recalled that the first panel was disbanded and no reason was adduced for the action.
But the new panel on Monday commenced sitting on the petitions filed as it ruled on an exparte application brought by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to inspect election materials used for the gubernatorial election on Saturday September 22nd and Thursday September 27 2018.
Justice Peter Obiora, while delivering the ruling on behalf of the tribunal chairman, Justice Muhammad Siraju, granted the two applications brought by PDP to substitute order of service of second and third respondents respectively, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, who is now governor-elect, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, order to be in custody of the certified true copy of the inspected materials used for the election.
The two applications were premised on the order of the tribunal to serve the petitions and other processes on the second respondent and third respondent respectively on substituted means and to also move the application before the pre-hearing section.
Justice Peter Obiora said the tribunal was satisfied with the report of services and there was merit in the application.
Justice Obiora said the essence of granting the applications was to bring proceedings to the attention and notices of the respondents in the substantial suit before the tribunal.
He said the tribunal would do justice in its proceedings without bias as long as they stayed in Osogbo.
A 12-paragraph affidavit and a writing address in support with the affidavit were attached with the exparte motion brought by the applicant’s counsel.
Counsel to the plaintiff, Nathaniel Oke (SAN), told newsmen after the sitting that the two applications was to allow them served the second respondent (Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola) and third respondents (APC) which had not been successfully served.
Oke said,”The second application was to sort the leave of the tribunal for the purpose of taking certified true copies of the materials used for the election in Sept. 22 and the rerun of Sept. 27 which would be useful as the tribunal continue sitting.
Comment here