The Peoples Democratic Party a (PDP) and supporters of Ademola Adeleke took to the street of Osogbo to celebrate their victory at The Election Petitions Tribunal set up for the 2018 governorship election in Osun State. The tribunal declared Ademola Adeleke winner of the election. The three-member panel declared the 27th September, 2018 illegal during its ruling in Abuja Friday 22nd March, 2019.
After declaring the 27th September, 2018 re-run illegal, the votes scored by the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate Gboyega Oyetola was deducted to arrive at the decision that Ademola Adeleke was the winner of the Osun State governorship election.
According to the tribunal, Ademola Adeleke won the election at the first ballot on 22nd September 2019 and the rerun conducted by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) a week later was illegal.
The tribunal ruled in a majority decision with one member dissenting that the declaration of Gboyega Oyetola is null and void.
According the ruling, “The petitioner (Ademola Adeleke) having fulfilled the constitutional requirements and scored the majority lawful vote is declared winner and returned elected as governor. The rerun in the seven cancelled units are hereby declared null and void and of no electoral effect.”
The tribunal ordered INEC to withdrawal of the certificate of return issued to Gboyega Oyetola and ordered that a new certificate of return be issued to Ademola Adeleke.
A brief detail of what transpired during the election last year is stated thus:
During the first ballot in the Osun governorship election, the PDP candidate, Ademola Adeleke won majority votes of 254,698 votes while Gboyega Oyetola of the APC came a close second with 254,345 votes. The margin of lead between the two candidates was 354 votes which was lower than the cancelled votes which were 3,498. This resulted to INEC declaring the election inconclusive hence the re-run in seven polling units.
At the end of the re-run election, the PDP’s initial victory was upturned and Gboyega Oyetola of the APC was declared the winner of the poll. After the re-run, the APC candidate scored a total of 255,505 votes while the PDP candidate scored a total of 255,023 votes.
