Appeal court: Judge ‘close to Tinubu’ not on Osun panel

The appeal court says Joseph Oyewole is not on the appeal panel of the Osun governorship election. 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had claimed that Oyewole, who served as a high court judge in Lagos state when Bola Tinubu was governor, has strong connections with the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is an interested party in the ongoing appeal.

But the appellate court on Wednesday debunked this claim in statement signed by Saadatu Kachalla, the court’s spokesperson.

“Hon. Justice Joseph Oyewole, Justice of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, an industrious son of the Osun State, is not a member of the the Osun Governorship Election Appeal Tribunal set up by the President of the Court of Appeal, who had earlier said that the court must always put her integrity on the front burner,” the statement read.

“The members of the public are therefore advised not to be misguided by desperate and jittery individuals, whose action is to heat the polity.

“Time has changed, and it is better for us to change with time. The era of fake News is over.”

Reacting also, Kunle Oyatomi, APC’s spokesperson in Osun state accused the PDP of defaming Oyewole.

“That party’s (PDP) leadership has to cultivate some responsible decorum in its political engagement, which appears to be deteriorating by the day, particularly in the state of Osun,” he said in statement on Wednesday.

He added that “it is irresponsible for the PDP and its minions to so unjustly and viciously defame, as well as cast scurrilous aspersion on a judge of the Court of Appeal for no just reason whatsoever.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had announced Gboyega Oyetola of APC as winner of the September governorship election, but in March, the election tribunal declared Ademola Adeleke, candidate of the PDP, as winner and asked INEC to issue a fresh certificate of return to him.

Oyetola rejected the judgement and the matter is currently at the appeal court.