Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to issue a Certificate of Return to Gboyega Oyetola following a judgement by the election tribunal. The tribunal in its judgement on Friday held that the governorship election was characterized by over-voting, adding that after deducting the excessive votes, Gboyega Oyetola’s figures rose to 314, 921, while Adeleke’s came down to 290, 266.
Led by Justice Terste Kume, the tribunal instructed the INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Adeleke and his deputy, Kola Adewusi. It directed that the certificate of return be issued to Oyetola instead.
But in a letter to the electoral umpire Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, shortly after the Osun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal nullified his election as governor, Adeleke urged INEC not to issue the certificate of return pending the outcome of his appeal.
Earlier the governor through his spokesman Olawale Rasheed had faulted the judgement which sacked him as the elected governor of the State, describing it as a miscarriage of justice. Rasheed quoted the governor as saying that it is an unfair interpretation against the will of the majority of voters.