The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Osun State Governor-elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke, have hired no fewer than eight Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) and 45 lawyers to defend them at the Election Petitions Tribunal in Osogbo. The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in the July 16 governorship election, Governor Gboyega Oyetola are challenging Adeleke’s victory. They are contesting the results in 749 polling units out of 3,763 on the grounds of over-voting and other alleged manipulations. Our correspondent learnt that their legal team will include senior lawyers Alex Izinyon, Onyechi Ikpeazu, Nathaniel Oke, Kehinde Ogunwumiju and Paul Ananaba.

The Deputy Director of the Adeleke Campaign Council Kolapo Alimi told our correspondent yesterday that the PDP had assembled a legal team to “trash” Oyetola’s petition. According to him, the petition is a waste of the precious time of the judiciary. The PDP on Tuesday submitted its defence to Oy-etola’s petition, praying the tribunal to dismiss it on the grounds that it is frivolous and baseless.

The response was submitted by the party’s Caretaker Committee Chairman Dr. Adekunle Akindele. Akindele told the tribunal that Adeleke convincingly won the election and was duly declared the winner. He denied that there was over-voting in any of the polling units being challenged by the petitioners. The PDP insisted that the exercise was conducted in compliance with the Electoral Act 2022. Akindele also insisted that Adeleke fulfilled all qualification criteria and conditions to run for the election. (New Telegraph)

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