Osun Residents Protest in Abuja over Tribunal Verdict, Petition NJC

Udora Orizu in Abuja

Some Osun State residents yesterday took their continued protest against the judgement of the governorship election petition tribunal which sacked Governor Ademola Adeleke as the winner of the July 16, 2022 gubernatorial poll to Abuja.

The tribunal, headed by Justice Terste Kume, had sacked Adeleke of the People Democratic Party (PDP) and had declared Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the poll.
After the judgement was delivered, residents of the state and some members of PDP had trooped out en masse to vent their anger against the judgement, accusing the tribunal of injustice.

Armed with placards with various inscriptions such as: “No to Buga judgement”, “the people of Osun demand justice”, “Justice Kume is biased”, “Kume out to kill Electoral Act” among others, they argued that referencing personal life of the governor was not in tandem with the judiciary ethics.
Speaking to journalists, shortly after submitting a petition to the National Judicial Commission in Abuja, their leader, Moshood Adebayo, called for an urgent investigation of Justice Kume for actions and activities in breach of judicial ethics and protocols.

He urged the council to rebuke the judge for allegedly partnering with the petitioners during the hearing, “which resulted in a miscarriage of justice,” adding that a disciplinary action should be taken against Justice Kume for violating his oath of office.
Adebayo said, “We write to report a judicial officer, Justice Terse Kume for his violation of all known ethical conduct and behaviours unbecoming of the esteemed office he occupies.

“As the Chairman of the Osun Governorship panel, Justice Kume acted with deep bias and partiality which compels an extensive probe on his culpability.
“The Osun Governorship election was a model for the nation as local and international observers affirmed it as the best election in recent Nigerian history. The outcome strengthened faith in the BVAS machine and manifested a great fruit of the new Electoral Act.
“After the Osun election, there was a general relief that going forward, people’s votes will count in the electoral process. The July 16 poll was a master stroke, a giant stride in Nigeria’s strides to sustainable democracy.

“All these realities that give hope to the nation and that reaffirm confidence of the global community in Nigeria’s democracy was muddled up within few hours by Justice Kume.
“His delivering the most illogical, biased and illegal judgement threatened to present and future of our democracy. Such judicial officer who deliberately set out to derail democratic practice should be disciplined to prevent further rot in the judicial system.”