A few hours to the hearing of the petition by the Osun Action Congress of Nigeria governorship candidate, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, mixed feelings of hope and fear have pervaded Osun State.



The appeal court sitting in Ibadan is expected, on Monday (today), to hear the adoption of briefs of both the ACN and the Peoples Democratic Party. Senior lawyers to both parties are expected to make their appearances.



Also, the court is expected to hear the arguments of both parties.



In his 1004-page petition, Aregbesola is challenging the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission that Olagunsoye Oyinlola won the April 14, 2007 governorship election in the state.



The election, which was marked by high-scale violence and alleged killings, was upheld by the Osun INEC, presided over by Mr John Dansu.



A cross-appeal filed by Oyinlola will be heard side by side Aregbesola’s petition.



The initial tribunal headed by Justice Thomas Naron, which heard the appeal, dismissed it as lacking in merit but the appeal court sitting in Ibadan, described the judgment by the Naron-led tribunal as an abuse and miscarriage of justice.



The panel, which ordered the retrial of the petition, ruled that it was wrong for the Naron panel to disregard the evidence provided by Aregbesola in his petition.



In defence of his petition, Aregbesola had provided a truckload of evidence, which included a police report, time analysis of voting, forensic analysis of voting, evidence of violence, ballot snatching and killings during the election, among others.



Parties are expected to adopt their briefs of argument today while the appellate court is expected to reserve its judgment and later communicate the date of its verdict accordingly.






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art2010110132464

Where is justice Thomas Naro now? Tommorow you will hear he preside over another case again. We can’t continue this way and hope things will get better.

i hope justice is done in this case. i pray AC wins again.