Fact-Check: Has Oyetola Defeated Governor Adeleke at Appeal Court?

• A Twitter post claiming that Gboyega Oyetola has again defeated Governor Ademola Adeleke at the Court of Appeal is false
• Though the appellate court heard the appeal filed by Governor Adeleke on Monday, March 13, it is yet to give a judgement
• The three-member panel of justices led by Justice M.F. Shuaibu reserved its ruling, adding that the date of the judgement would be communicated to the parties involved later

FCT, Abuja – On Monday, March 13, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja began hearing the appeal filed by the governor of Osun state, Ademola Adeleke.

The matter was presided over by a three-member panel of justices led by Justice M.F. Shuaibu.

While Adeleke is the appellant, Gboyega Oyetola and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are 1st and 2nd respondents in the appeal.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the PDP are also joined as 3rd respondent and 4th respondent respectively.

Osun 2022 governorship election: Why Adeleke filed an appeal

Recall that Adeleke filed the appeal after the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in January voided his victory in the July 16, 2022, election.

INEC had declared Adeleke the winner of the election after polling a total of 403,371 votes. He was said to have won in 17 of the 30 local government areas in the state.

But the panel led by Justice Terste Kume, in its judgment, invalidated the election and declared Oyetola of APC as the valid winner of the poll.

The tribunal directed INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Adeleke and his deputy, Kola Adewusi, both of whom had been sworn in.

It, however, directed that the Certificate of Return should instead be issued to Oyetola. Governor Adeleke subsequently proceeded to the Court of Appeal to challenge the tribunal’s verdict.

Amid the hearing at the appeal court on Monday, a Twitter user, @AMTanimu, claimed that Oyetola has won.