Supreme Court Affirms Adeleke’s Victory

Osun Governor, Ademola Adeleke

Supreme Court has affirmed the victory of the Osun State Governor-elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke, as the authentic candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the July 16 governorship election in the state.

The apex gave the judgment on Thursday on the appeal filed by Oyedotun Babayemi.

Babayemi, a governorship aspirant, had taken Adeleke before a federal high court in Osogbo, seeking to be declared as the PDP candidate.

Two factions of the party had, on March 8, 2021, conducted separate governorship primaries featuring Adeleke and Babayemi which they both won.

However, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), recognised Adeleke as the duly-elected candidate for the PDP in the primaries.

In a judgment delivered on May 18, Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel, the judge of the federal high court, held that the primary which produced Babayemi is null and void.

Babayemi not satisfied with the federal high court ruling, approached the Supreme Court with an appeal on the matter.

The apex court, in a unanimous judgement by a five-man panel of justices, dismissed the appeal filed against Adeleke.

Counsel to the Appellant, Mr. Adebayo Adelodun, SAN, withdrew the appeal after the panel led by Justice Amina Augie, drew his attention to the fact that the case was statute barred.

The panel had maintained that the appeal was incompetent, stressing that it was filed outside the 14 days period provided by the law.