The OSUN State governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja has shifted hearing in the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke till December 5 to enable parties in the matter put their houses in order.
The tribunal ordered all parties appearing before it to file and exchange all necessary processes that will facilitate quick hearing of all issues on or before the adjourned date.
Justice Ibrahim Muhammad Sirajo, who is the chairman of the tribunal, announced the adjournment, Monday following the agreement by the petitioners and the respondents that they needed the adjournment to enable them file and exchange all necessary documents and processes relating to the issues in dispute.
Justice Sirajo, who spoke of the need for the lawyers to cooperate with his tribunal to enable it discharge its mandate within the time allowed by law, announced that the tribunal may abridge time for the parties where necessary in order to ensure quick dispensation of the petition within the ambit of the law.
At the proceedings, respondents informed the tribunal that they were yet to be served with some processes of the petitioners and Justice Sirajo promptly ordered the tribunal secretary to serve them with the court papers in the court room to avoid delay in the hearing.
The PDP candidate, Senator Adeleke, who witnessed the proceedings, told judiciary correspondents that he was satisfied with the pace of hearing of his petition by the tribunal and also expressed confidence that he would recover his mandate.
He, however, appealed to the people of Osun State especially members of PDP and his supporters to be calm and avoid any violence no matter the provocation from anywhere, adding that justice will be done to the petition being adjudicated upon by the tribunal.
Also speaking, his counsel, Chief Nathaniel Oke SAN, commended the tribunal for the pace at which proceedings are being conducted, assuring that with the cooperation of lawyers involved and witnesses to be called, justice will be done on the issue.
The PDP and Adeleke had filed the petition praying for the nullification of the election of Alhaji Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola on the ground that it was marred with irregularities, and that the election was not conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in compliance with the law.
Specifically the petitioners alleged massive rigging, vote buying and other forms of malpractices, claiming that they scored majority of the lawful votes in the election and should be declared winner of the election.