Ademola Adeleke has rejected the tribunal verdict on Friday and said he would appeal the judgment sacking him as Governor of Osun state.
Adeleke, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was declared winner of the governorship poll held on 16 July, 2022.
In August 2022, former Osun Governor, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gboyega Oyetola, petitioned the tribunal to challenge the victory of Adeleke.
Among several issues, Oyetola contended that there was overvoting in 749 polling units across 10 LGAs of the state.
Delivering the judgement on Friday, 27 January, 2023, the Osun governorship election tribunal appeared to have taken a swipe at the dancing skills of Ademola Adeleke.
The majority judgment of the tribunal ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Adeleke and issue a fresh one to Oyetola as the duly-elected governor of Osun.
“For the sake of emphasis, the total lawful votes for each of the candidates after the said deduction of the invalid votes is 314, 931 for the 1st petitioner, and 290,666 for the 2nd respondent,” Tetsea Kume, who read the majority decision said.
“Consequently, the 2nd respondent did not score a majority of lawful votes cast at the election. The declaration and return is hereby declared null and void.
“The 2nd respondent cannot “go lo lo lo lo” and “Buga won” as the duly elected governor of Osun state in the election conducted on the 16th day of July 2022. See Kizz Daniel song, BUGA.
“Rather, we hereby hold that the 1st petitioner scored a majority of lawful votes in the said election and is hereby returned as such.
“The 1st respondent is hereby directed to withdraw the certificate of return issued to the 2nd respondent, and issue it to the 1st petitioner as the duly elected governor of Osun state.”
Meanwhile, the reference to “go lo lo lo” and “buga won” by the tribunal appears to be a reference to Adeleke’s dance to a song by Nigerian artiste, Kizz Daniel in November 2022.
While speaking at the government secretariat on his first day in office as Governor, Adeleke had dance to the song while the crowd he was addressing cheered.
Meanwhile, Adeleke has rejected the judgment describing it as a miscarriage of justice.
“I call on our people to remain calm. We will appeal the judgement and we are sure justice will be done,” he added.
“Let our people be reassured that we will do everything possible to retain this widely acclaimed mandate.”
He also added that the judgment would be contested at the court of appeal.