There was heavy security presence, on
Thursday, as the election petition tribunal
adjudicating over complaints arising from
the result of the August 9 governorship
poll in Osun State continued its
proceedings within the complex of the
state High Court.
Anti-riot policemen, numbering over 70,
were sighted, providing water-tight
security along Oke-Fia/Ilobu road, where
the High Court is located, just as the road
was permanently closed to traffic for
almost three hours the proceedings
lasted.
Though it could not be ascertained what
informed the heavy security presence, the
development precipitated traffic gridlock,
as motorists, pedestrians and
commercials motorcyclists were diverted
from Oke Fia roundabout to the
Government Reservation Area (GRA), with
a view to assessing their respective
destinations.
Judicial staff, journalists and other
categories of people allowed entry into
the court premises were thoroughly
frisked with bomb detectors by stern-
looking security operatives, while about
five Hilux patrol vans belonging to the
police were strategically parked closed to
the venue of the tribunal.
However, the three-member panel, headed
by Justice Elizabeth N. Ikpejime,
adjourned its ruling on the competence of
the petition filed by the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) governorship
candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, till next
week Monday.
The panel also struck out application for
the extension of the inspection time
regarding electoral materials used for
election, having been withdrawn by the
counsel for the petitioner, Mr Alex Izinyon.
Earlier, the lead counsel for the first
respondent (Rauf Aregbesola), Mr Akin
Olujimi, had argued that the tribunal
“lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the
Omisore’s petition due to lack of
competence.”
According to him, “I want to call the
attention of the tribunal to paragraph 53,
sub-paragraph 5 of the first schedule of
the Electoral Act 2010, bordering on
mandatory provision directing that your
Lordships are under a duty to determine
the irregularity and competence of
election petition,” stressing that “the
objection we are raising challenging the
competence of the petition cannot be
taken with the petition.”
But, counsel for Omisore and the PDP, Mr
Izinyon, described the decided Court of
Appeal cases cited by the counsel to the
first respondent as old testaments
references, maintaining that paragraph 12
sub-section 5 of the Electoral Act 2010 as
amended, provided legal cover for all the
matters raised to be heard alongside the
petition.
While citing Osunbor Vs Oshiomohle 2007
LRECN page 79 and Enukeme Vs Onumasi
2014 LEELR page 2354 to buttress his
argument, he stated that “the Court of
Appeal in the cases held that all matters
can be heard together, as time is of
essence in election petition.”