Tribunal asks INEC to produce Adeleke’s certificates, others

Adjourns till November 21 for the continuation of hearing

The Osun State Election Petition Tribunal, yesterday, ordered the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to produce the nomination form and academic certificates of the governor-elect, Ademola Adeleke, used for nomination in the 2018 governorship election.

The tribunal, chaired by Justice Tertsea Kume, gave the order in a subpoena issued on REC, following the request of counsel for Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Counsel for INEC, Adeleke and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had failed in their attempt to have the petition dismissed at the hearing after hot arguments and counter-arguments.

At the sitting of the tribunal, yesterday, counsel for Oyetola and the APC, Abiodun Saka Layonu (SAN), informed the court that the petitioners had filed a subpoena dated November 3, 2022, compelling REC to appear before the court to present Adeleke’s nomination form and all its attachments, including the certificates.

He said that since the bailiff was yet to serve REC with the subpoena, even after being signed, he would be compelled to ask for adjournment till November 21, 2022.

Counsel for INEC, Paul Ananaba (SAN), objected to the application for adjournment, saying it was clear evidence that the petitioners were not prepared for diligent prosecution of the petition, citing Paragraph 18 (11) of the Electoral Act.

He added that by planning to call REC as a witness without informing the tribunal earlier, the petitioners had violated the tribunal’s pre-hearing report that the tribunal must be furnished with a list of witnesses 24 hours before the hearing day.

The tribunal chairman agreed with the petitioners’ counsel and ignored the applications to dismiss the petition.

He said that the subpoena was issued by the tribunal on Tuesday evening and would subsequently be served on REC.

He then adjourned the matter till Monday, November 21, 2022, for the continuation of the hearing.