Osun Govt Election: Supreme Court Judgement Double-Edged Sword – Keyamo

By Ayodele Oni

The decision of the Supreme Court on the Osun State Governorship Election may be precedent in determining pending petitions on the outcome of February Presidential Election.

Festus Keyamo, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, has warned that the Supreme Court ruling on Governor Ademola Adeleke could be a double-edged sword.

Those celebrating Adeleke’s victory, according to Keyamo, should study the Supreme Court’s principles on the tenability of results retrieved from the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, to prove over-voting.

He stated that the decision could have an impact on the pending Presidential Election Petitions.

The Supreme Court confirmed Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), as governor of Osun State on Tuesday.

The decision was delivered by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim, who ruled that former Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, who challenged Adeleke’s victory, based all of his allegations against the election on unfounded hearsay.

While reading the judgement, Justice Emmanuel Agim also  held that the Court of Appeal correctly set aside the decision of the Tribunal as there is no way Oyetola could depend on only the information of the back end server and not look into the voters register which forms a foundation of the electoral process in any polling unit.

Keyamo, on the other hand, cautioned those who were celebrating Adeleke’s Supreme Court victory.

Tweeting, Keyamo wrote: “They have not even stopped for a minute in their euphoria to reflect on the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court as it affects the tenability of results obtained by BVAS to prove over-voting and how it affects their pending Presidential Election Petitions that will go before the same Supreme Court in a few months’ time.

“The Supreme Court has set a precedent that can be a two-edged sword and when I reflected on it, I just chuckled. Awaiting the final decision of the Presidential Election cases.”