Osun PDP Protests Disbandment Of Governorship Election Petition Tribunal
Members of Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Thursday besieged the Osun State High Court to stage a peaceful protest against the sudden disbandment of the Osun governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Osogbo.
Displaying placards with different inscriptions, Barrister Niyi Owolade, a PDP chieftain and former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Osun who addressed newsmen on behalf of the people expressed dismay over the development.
Owolade demanded for the immediate constitution of the panel in order to continue with the process without delay.
He explained that the party filed a petition on Tuesday, in which the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the Governor -elect, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola and All Progressives Congress , APC, were joined as respondents.
According to him, while the first respondent, INEC had been served, Oyetola and his party have declined service, which compelled them to file an application for substituted service.
Owolade said they were taken aback on Thursday morning when officials of the tribunal informed them that the tribunal has been disbanded without giving any reason for such action and without evidence of constituting another soon.
” While we have been able to serve the first respondent, the second and the third respondents declined service so, we brought an application here yesterday for substituted service.
“The application was to have been heard 9:am this morning but we were surprised when we heard that the panel has been disbanded. What is even more surprising is that they disbanded a panel without replacement.
“We all know that election petition matters are sui jeneris, our 180days started counting from 16th October, and section 285, sub-section 6 of the 1999 constitution is clear about that.
“By the 180 days duration, final judgement on this matter is to be delivered on or before April 15, 2019, and the time is of essence.
“We are surprised that the President of Appeal Court, who is saddled with the responsibility of constituting election tribunal has not deem it fit to have put in place a new panel “, he said.
Owolade demanded for immediate constitution of the panel in order to continue with the process without delay.
He stressed that there must never be any vacuum in the pattern of constituting election panel, adding that the people are seriously yawning for justice.
“We are presently in limbo because time is of essence, we want a new panel to be put in place immediately to continue the process, we are appealing to the president of Appeal Court to do the needful”.
