YPP Asks Tribunal To Withdraw Adeleke’s Certificate of Return

 

Yusuf Oketola

THE Young Progressives Party (YPP) has asked the Election Petition Tribunal to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Sen. Ademola Adeleke as the winner of the July 16, 2022 governorship election.

YPP also asked the tribunal to nullify the poll on the ground that it did not comply with the Electoral Act.

The party, in its petition before the tribunal, stated that INEC failed to give 360 days notice for the conduct of the election as stipulated by the Electoral Act, 2022, which was used to conclude the poll.

It added that INEC started the process of the July 16 poll with an Electoral Act that did not recognise the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and also failed to give adequate notice of election as stipulated by the law.

The petition partly reads, “The Notice of Election issued by the 1st Respondent did not give an allowance of 360 days between the date of its issuance and 16th July, 2022 when the election was conducted.

“We state that the accreditation of voters in the 16th July, 2022 governorship election in Osun State was done using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, which is an electronic methodology of voters’ verification and accreditation that was introduced by the Electoral Act, 2022.

“We state that BVAS or any other form of electronic verification and accreditation of voters was not permitted by law before the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2022.

“Your petitioner shall contend at the hearing of this case that the governorship election held on 16th July, 2022 in Osun State was/is invalid for the reason that the 1st Respondent failed and/or neglected to give 360 days notice before the date appointed for the election.”

YPP then sought “An order of the Tribunal nullifying the 16th July, 2022 governorship election held in Osun State. 

“An order of the tribunal nullifying the declaration of the 3rd Respondent, Adeleke Ademola, as the winner of the said election. 

“An order of the Tribunal mandating the 1st Respondent to conduct a fresh governorship election in Osun State.”