Posted by By GABRIEL DIKE, Osogbo on
The Osun State election petition tribunal, sitting in Osogbo on Monday dismissed the stay of proceedings application by the Action Congress (AC) gubernational candidate, Engr. Raufu Aregbesola seeking the suspension of hearing until the Appeal Court gives it ruling on the controversial forensic expert analysis.
The Osun State election petition tribunal, sitting in Osogbo on Monday dismissed the stay of proceedings application by the Action Congress (AC) gubernational candidate, Engr. Raufu Aregbesola seeking the suspension of hearing until the Appeal Court gives it ruling on the controversial forensic expert analysis.
The AC governorship candidate through his counsel had sought the leave of the tribunal to stay further proceedings last week to allow the Appeal Court, sitting in Ibadan rule on its appeal over the tendering, as evidence, the forensic analysis by Adrian Forty on the electoral materials used for the April 14, 2007 election.
The chairman of the first tribunal, Justice Thomas Naron, who had fixed ruling yesterday on the AC application, dismissed it and fixed April 17 for continuation of hearing of the petition challenging the election of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as governor of the state.
Justice Naron, after the AC and PDP counsels had addressed the tribunal said the stay of proceedings was not one of the case filed at the pre-hearing notice.
According to him, the parties have the right to file an appeal on any issue relating to the case before the tribunal but that it must not impede the proceedings.
Ruling on the stay of application filed by the AC, Justice Naron dismissed the petition for lacking merit.
But the AC counsel, J.A. Fakayode after the ruling said the party would appeal the tribunal's ruling at the Court of Appeal.
In a related development, the second election petition tribunal also sitting in Osogbo yesterday dismissed the petition of the Progress Peoples Alliance (PPA) candidate,
Prince Ademola Ajiboye seeking the nulification of the election for the Osun State House of Assembly won by AC candidate.
Ruling on the PPA petition, Justic Hamman Barka dismissed the petition for lacking in merit and up held the election of Sikiru Alabi of the AC for the Ila State contituency.