Supreme Court Up Holds Appellate Court Judgement: Affirms Oyetola’s Victory In Osun Election.

The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate in the September 2018 Osun State governorship election, Ademola Adeleke, challenging the election of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress, APC. The apex court in a split decision of five to two of the seven-man panel, agreed substantially with the ruling of the Court of Appeal, that a majority judgement delivered at the tribunal was a nullity. In the lead judgement by Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, the apex court declared that the absence of Justice Peter Obiora, who read the majority decision of the election tribunal, renders the entire proceedings a nullity. Justice Rhodes- Vivour added in agreement with the Appellate court that the absence of Justice Obiora when a key witness in the petition was heard meant that the tribunal lacked the authorities to give any judgment on the matter.