The Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has declared as winner Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate in the last year’s governorship election in the state, Ademola Adeleke.
It held that the All Progressives Congress and its candidate, Gboyega Oyetola was not validly returned.
Earlier, the Tribunal had dismissed the separate objections filed by the All Progressives Congress and its candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission against the petition challenging their victory at the September 2018 election.
The Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate in the election had filed the petition urging the tribunal to declared that he polled the highest lawful votes and should be declared the winner.
But Oyetola, APC and INEC had filed their notices of preliminary objection contending among others that the petition was incompetent and that the court lacked jurisdiction.
Delivering the lead ruling of the three-man tribunal, Justice Peter Obi, held that the objections were misconceived and struck them out.
The tribunal added that the tribunal had jurisdiction to hear the petition.
There are two other reserved rulings the tribunal is to deliver before delving into the merit of the petition.
The Justice Ibrahim Sirajo-led three-man bench began delivering judgment at 10.33am on Friday.