The Osun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has fixed Oct. 26 for hearing of the petition filed by Gov. Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the declaration of Sen. Ademola Adeleke (PDP), as the governor-elect.
The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Tertsea Kume, fixed the date after the conclusion of the pre-hearing session on Thursday in Osogbo.
Kume also announced that the pre-hearing conference reports would be presented on Oct. 17, while proper hearing would begin on Oct. 26.
He also said that 10 different motions were filed with responses and heard together by both the petitioners and respondents.
Earlier, the Counsel for Oyetola and APC, Prof. Lasun Sanusi (SAN), told the tribunal that he had responded to all the motions filed and also adopted same on issues formulated.
Sanusi was replying to separate applications by the respondents, seeking the dismissal of the petition based on the Federal High Court judgment in Abuja disqualifying Oyetola from contesting the election.
He said the judgment had been appealed, urging the court to dismiss the motion brought by the respondents pending the determination by the appellate court.
Counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Alex Izion (SAN), urged the tribunal not to entertain the applications filed by the petitioners on the point of the law.
Izion said that since APC did not argue against the responses to the application filed, it should be dismissed based on wants of jurisdiction.
Counsel to INEC, Mr Paul Ananaba, told the tribunal that the judgment by the Federal High Court, which nullified Oyetola’s candidacy has no stay of execution and the tribunal should abide by it.
However, counsel for all the parties in the matter agreed to begin the full hearing, with calling of witnesses, on Oct. 26.(NAN)
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