Thursday, March 28, 2024

Tribunal fixes Monday for hearing of Oyetola’s substituted service application against Adeleke

I didn’t dodge court service – Adeleke

BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO

Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola has filed an ex-parte application for substituted service at the Osun State Election Petition Tribunal following alleged failed attempts by the tribunal to serve the state Governor-Elect, Ademola Adeleke court process on the petition filed by Oyetola seeking nullification of Adeleke’s victory at the July 16 governorship election in the state.

Oyetola had on August 5, filed a petition to the tribunal and asked the panel to nullify election in 749 polling units where Adeleke won for alleged irregularities.

The governor claimed that Adeleke ought not to have been declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission as he was not qualified to participate in the election in the first place, alleging that the Governor-elect submitted forged certificate to INEC.

When our correspondent visited the tribunal hall situated within the Osun State Judiciary Complex in Osogbo on Friday, the Secretary of the tribunal panel, David Umar confirmed that the bailiff could not effect the service of the process on Adeleke, about 14 days after Oyetola filed the petition.

Umar said the Governor-elect could not make himself available to receive the service. He said counsels to Oyetola had approached the tribunal with ex-parte application for substituted service on Adeleke.

The tribunal secretary revealed that the court would on Monday, August 22, sit for the hearing of the application.

According to him, if the application sails through, tribunal would have been empowered to effect service of the court process on Adeleke using other means such as pasting it on the governor-elect residence, at the notice board of the panel or any other place as ordered by the court.

Meanwhile, Adeleke, on Friday, denied that he dodged service and stated that he was available and prepared to defend his mandate.

Reacting to the report that Adeleke was trying to frustrate court process, the spokesperson to Governor-elect, Olawale Rasheed in a statement made available to our correspondent said those saying Adeleke evaded service were only smearing the image of the Governor-elect.

He said, “The Governor-elect of Osun state, Senator Ademola Adeleke is not by any stretch of imagination dodging court service. Why should he do that? He won a free and fair election adjudged the best in recent Nigerian history. He is a committed democrat who uphold rule of law and due process. The Governor-elect is available and is prepared to defend his mandate.

“So the report is not true. He is not dogging court service. Those peddling that rumours are only working to smear our image. Senator Adeleke is a people’s governor who have high regards for the judiciary.”

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