Politics
PDP members protest over alleged dissolution of election tribunal
Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State Thursday, protested at the premises of the Osun State High Court over alleged disbandment of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal hearing matters arising from the governorship poll in the state.
The PDP members during the peaceful protest in the court premises carried placards.
Inscriptions on the placards read: ‘Why the sudden disbandment of the panel?’ ‘Constitute a new panel immediately now?’ No more Salamigate in Osun’ ‘Save our democracy from rogues’
According to the protesters, the alleged disbandment would have a negative effect on the case of the petitioner.
A former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Osun State, Mr Niyi Owolade, who is a member of the legal team for the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state, Senator Ademola Adeleke, reasoned that the disbandment of the panel ought to have been done simultaneously with the constitution of a new one.
Owolade, who said this while addressing journalists in front of the courtroom that usually hosts the panel, insisted that the dissolution of the three-man panel headed by Justice T. A. Igoche, would adversely affect the prosecution of the case.
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According to him, they were worried because they filed an exparte application for substituted service on the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola and the APC who he claimed had been evading service.
Continuing, he said that members and chairman of the tribunal were nowhere to be found when the application was supposed to be heard today.
He said: “We were told by court officials that the panel has been disbanded. But what is more surprising is that a new panel has not been put in place. It should be done simultaneously.
“Our 180 days have started counting since October 16 and final judgment is expected to be given in this petition before April 16, 2019.”
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