A human rights organization, the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) has urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice Oluwakayode Ariwoola and the Supreme Court of Nigeria, against setting the peaceful Osun State on fire with bias judgement on the 2022 Governorship Election tussle slated the judgement for Tuesday, 9th May, 2023.
The group alleged the Supreme Court is planning to uphold the biased ‘Buga lo lo lo’ Tribunal acclaimed majority Judgement of Justice T. A. Kume in order to return former Governor Gboyega Oyetola back to the Okefia Government House through biased judicial verdict on Tuesday.
It further alleged that the Supreme Court Judges to be coordinated by
Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun have been holding sinister meeting
with the concern Judges to ensure that Mr. Oyetola who lost the July 16, 2022 Governorship Election in Osun State were declared winner by jettisoning the Appeal Court Judgement that declared Governor Ademola Adeleke as the true winner of the 2022 governorship election State.
The group also raised alarm that Mr. Oyetola and his cohorts have been
using the name of President-Elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intimidate and induce the Supreme Court Judges to manipulate the wheel of justice in favour of Oyetola, adding that it would be a dark day for our nation’s nurturing democracy if the Supreme Court dance to the tune of Oyetola in delivery their judgement on Tuesday.
CHRSJ maintained that the four(4) years previous administration of Oyetola was full of flagrant disregard to Court
pronouncements (including Supreme Court Judgement), adding that the
same Oyetola was clamouring to get justice through the backdoor from
the Supreme Court on the election he lost gallantly.
In a signed statement by its Executive Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, the CHRSJ insisted that Governor Ademola Adeleke was eminently qualified to contest for the office of the Governor as stipulated by the amended
1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Appeal Court of Justice through its judgement in 2018.
Sulaiman,who urged the five (5) Supreme Court Judges that presided over the Apex Court Election Petition Panel on Appeal Judgement on Petition N0: EPT/OS/ GOV/ 01/2022, to remain steadfast to do the
rights thing by upholding the position of the Appeal Court Judgement which was the wish of God and good people Osun State, especially, Osun State electorates that voted massively for Governor Adeleke during July 16th, 2022 Governorship Election.
According to CHRSJ: “Meanwhile, it has come to the knowledge of our
organization (CHRSJ) that the mini committee has been set up at the
Supreme Court of Nigeria to be coordinated by Hon. Justice Kudirat
Kekere-Ekun as part of the plan to ensure the Supreme Court returns Oyetola back to Governor’s office, Abeere, at all cost as they did to return Governor Hope Uzodinmma who came fourth in 2019 Imo State Governorship Election through the Supreme Court Judgement.
“Since announcement by the Supreme Court of Nigeria to deliver its judgement on Osun governorship tussle on Tuesday, the State political atmosphere is not presently conduceived for any otherwise in respect of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory from 2022 governorship election. So, we do not want all let loose because the law is cleared in respect of Ademola Adeleke landslide victory of 2022 Governorship election, as well displayed by Osun electorates during the just
concluded 2023 general elections and also confirmed by the Court of Appeal on the same subject matter”.
The statement message to the Supreme Court jurists: “Compromised judiciary is endangering of democracy because uncompromising judiciary is the bedrock of sustainable democracy in any clime.It is our fervent prayers that God Almighty would direct the noble cause of our Supreme Court Judges to safeguard our nurturing democracy through their pronouncements without fear or favour by developing a bold spirit as identified by Late Lord Alfred Dennin, to do justice to good electorates of Osun State that voted massively for Governor Ademola Adeleke during the July 16th,2022 governorship election in the State”.
The statement concluded by the nonperishable word of Ali Bhutto of
Pakistan by saying that “I do not ask for mercy. I do not beg for pardon but I demand for justice”
The Supreme Court has scheduled judgment for 2pm on Tuesday in the appeal filed by former Osun Governor, Gboyega Oyetola against the election of Ademola Adeleke.
Oyetola is, by his appeal, seeking the reversal of the March 25 judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja which affirmed Adeleke’s victory in the last governorship election in Osun State.
The Appeal Court had, in its judgement, set aside an earlier judgment by the Osun Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which held in favour of Oyetola and sacked Adeleke.
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court announced the time and date for judgment after taking arguments from lawyers to parties on Monday.
At today’s proceedings, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN argued for the APC.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja had on Friday, March 24, vacated the tribunal judgment that nullified the election of Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State.
The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of Justices, held that the appeal Adeleke lodged to challenge his sack by the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal was meritorious.
Aside from setting aside the judgment of the tribunal, the court, in its lead judgment that was delivered by Justice Mohammed Lawal, awarded N500,000 cost against the All Progressive Congress, APC, and its candidate, Gboyega Oyetola.
