The Osun State 2022 Election Petition Tribunal which is hearing the petition of the incumbent Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola against the governorship declaration of the Governor elect, Ademola Adeleke has adjourned the tribunal sitting till Tuesday, October 4, for the proper beginning of pre-hearing.
Mr. Ismail Omipidan, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Oyetola, in a statement said the adjournment came following the decision of the tribunal to give seven days ultimatum to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Senator Adeleke to react to the form of pre-hearing issued to them by the tribunal.
He said Professor Kayode Olagoke, (SAN), the counsel of the tribunal’s sitting for the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), had told the court of his preparation to continue with pre-hearing session, as they have filed his form TF008, where issues for determination were discussed.
“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.
He said “we were supposed to commence the pre-hearing session this morning, but unfortunately, the respondents said they were served with the pre-hearing notice this morning, adding that form TF007 will inform the parties, while TF008 is the one they are going to respond to.
“But they said they served them this morning and for that, they have to respond. But election petition being too sui generis and time sensitive, that is why we were suggesting we could take a stand down for them to fill the forms so that we come back for pre-hearing in the afternoon. But they insisted on having their right.”
“But in order to be fair to them, that was why the tribunal adjourned till next week for them to take their time, fill the form and come back for pre-hearing session.”
The petitioner’s counsel revealed that, ” When we get to the bridge, we cross it. We are all veterans in this business. You will see what will happen thereafter. It is because this one has to do with fair hearing and we wouldn’t d want anyone to be asking for the proceedings to get set aside because they were not given the required number (of days)”.