Osun Guber Countdown: Again, Court Dismisses Certificate Forgery Suit Against Adeleke

An Osun State High Court in Osogbo has dismissed a fresh suit challenging the candidacy of Senator Ademola Adeleke as the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate for the September 22 gubernatorial election in the state.

The suit was dismissed after the plaintiffs withdrew the case against Adeleke, the Presiding Judge, Justice David Oladimeji, said on Monday.

THE WHISTLER had reported that in a suit filed last Monday, August 20, the plaintiffs, Mr Oyetunji Suredi and Mr Olagboye Adedamola, asked the court for an interlocutory injunction restraining Adeleke from parading himself as the candidate of the Osun PDP.

They also asked the court to make an order to restrain the state’s party Chairman, Mr Soji Adagunodo, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from further recognising the defendant as the candidate of the party and replace him with Akin Ogunbiyi, the runner-up in the party’s primary.

However, at today’s hearing in Osogbo, counsel to the plaintiff, Abdulramon Okunade, told the court that his clients had reached an agreement to withdraw the suit and asked for an adjournment.

But the defense counsel, Mr Nathaniel Oke, opposed the adjournment, saying that the case should be dismissed since the applicants had resolved to withdraw the matter.

After listening to both arguments, the judge dismissed the suit and awarded N50,000 cost against the plaintiffs.

Today’s judgement comes weeks after an Osun State High Court says it cannot stop Adeleke from contesting in the September 22 gubernatorial election.

In the ruling, Justice David Oladimeji said the document submitted by the senator has “some serious and damaging irregularities” but the court can’t stop him from contesting next month’s poll.

The suit was filed by Rasheed Olabayo and Oluwaseu Idowu.

THE WHISTLER had reported that Adeleke had won the primary after garnering 1,569 votes to beat Ogunbiyi, who polled 1,562, in a tightly contested election.