Justice Ibrahim Sirajo, the Chairman of Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, on Wednesday in Abuja fixed March 7 for parties to adopt their written addresses.
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Ademola Adeleke, had approached the tribunal to challenge the victory of Gov. Gboyega Oyetola of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Sept.27, 2018 governorship election.
Sirajo gave the date after parties had closed their cases.
Earlier, Mr Oladeji Kazeez, agent of the APC at Unit 4, Ward 8, in Ejigbo Local Government in Sept.27 Osun State Governorship re-run election, said the PDP’s candidate, Adeleke perfected plans to buy votes.
“Sen. Ademola Adeleke had promised to bribe electorate with money while he was campaigning for the re-run election held on Sept. 27, 2018.
“It was that reason that the security allowed only electorate and fenced persons not accredited to be part of the process,’’ he said.
Kazeez said the PDP governorship candidate had come to his village dancing and bragging about how money would decide who would get victory in the election.
“I am coming fully now, many people including rich men like Femi Otedola and Dangote are supporting me.
“Vote for me I will give you money gbagam, I will give you dollars, gbagam, I will give you pound sterling gbagam,’’ he said.
During cross examination by Mr Nathaniel Oke (SAN), counsel to the petitioners, Kazeez said he was among other agents who endorsed the result sheet before it was transmitted to his party collation agent.
Also, Mr Ayoola Soji who served as APC agent for Unit 8, Ward 9 in Ejigbo informed the panel that electoral materials were counted before him before voting commenced.
Soji said the result from his unit showed that APC scored 86 votes while PDP scored 168 votes.
Soji while responding to cross examination, said the outcomes of the voting were properly captured in the result sheet after they were sorted and counted.
The witness further told the tribunal that all party agents, including that of the PDP, signed the result sheet after the election.
At this point, Chief Akin Olujinmi, (SAN), counsel to APC, informed the tribunal of his desire to close the case.
The petitioners had alleged that both the Sept. 22, 2018, election and the re-run conducted on Sept. 27, 2018, were marred with massive rigging, over voting, vote buying and other malpractices.
They also alleged that the election was not conducted in compliance with the Electoral Act.