CNPP explains opposition to retrial of Osun gov election petition

Lanre Adewole, Abuja - 15.05.2009

National security will be threatened if the re-trial of a petition by the Action Congress candidate in the April 14, 2007 governorship election in Osun state, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, against the election of Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, is allowed to go on, without the resolution of the forgery case against him.

This was contained in a motion on notice placed before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja by the Conference of Political Parties, Osun State chapter, seeking to stop the new Osun State Governorship Election Tribunal from commencing de novo trial of Aregbesola’s petition, as ordered by the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division, pending the conclusion of investigation of the alleged forgery of the Police report tendered by Aregbesola during the initial trial of his petition.

When the suit was mentioned on Thursday, the trial judge, Justice Adamu Bello, was told that it had been difficult to effect service of processes on the President, Court of Appeal, Justice Umaru Abdullahi, who is the 1st defendant in the matter.

Counsel for the plaintiff, Mr. Atirene Wilson, who brought the difficulties faced by court bailiffs in serving Abdullahi to the attention of the judge, also disclosed that the same problem was encountered in trying to serve Aregbesola and Mrs. Grace Tomori, who are the 7th and 8th defendants respectively.