Application For Change Of Retrial Tribunal Venue: Aregbe’s Letter Unsettles Oyinlola’s Camp
Nov 28th, 2009 | By admin | Category: NEWS
ANYTIME from now, the venue of the Osun State Election Petition Retrial Tribunal may be changed to Abuja or Lagos if the prayer of counsel to the state Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate, Engineer Rauf Aregbesola to the President of Court of Appeal, Justice Umaru Abdullahi is considered.
Meanwhile, the plausible change of venue from Osun State has started giving the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state a serious concern, as it was learnt that they were jittery over the long distance from the state, which, according to a source, might affect the movement of their witnesses.
In a letter signed by the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Akin Olujimi, (SAN), one of the lead counsel of Aregbesola and made available to OSUN DEFENDER last week, the essence of time must be taken into cognizance in the trial of his clients’ petition at the tribunal.
“It is pertinent at this stage to inform your Lordship that this is an election petition and indeed a re-trial; therefore, time is of essence as any aggrieved party therein still has a right to appeal the decision of the tribunal to the Court of Appeal”, the senior counsel asserted.
X-raying the circumstances that informed the request for the change of the venue via the letter, Olujimi briefed the Appeal Court leadership that the tribunal had earlier adjourned to 12 November from late October with the belief that the industrial action of the judiciary workers in the state would have been resolved, arguing that the continuous strike had made it difficult for the tribunal to have a date fixed for next hearing.
According to him: “Unfortunately, as we write, we are yet to receive any hearing notice for another date as the matter did not go on, on the said 12th November, 2009 due to continuing strike of the judiciary workers in the state.”
The senior counsel then prayed the leadership of the Court of Appeal to endorse the movement of the tribunal from Osogbo, Osun State capital to Lagos or Abuja, where judiciary workers were not on strike, noting that quick dispensation of justice should be taken into consideration.
It was gathered that when Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s counsel got the copy of the letter and showed it to the embattled state helmsman, his camp was said to have become jittery, for they, according to a source within Oke-Fia Government House, have seen the strike as the much-needed device to further delay the proceedings at the tribunal.
It was gathered that when the strike commenced late last month, the leadership of the judicial workers’ union (JUNSUN) was called to a secret meeting by the leadership of the state PDP, where they were charged to continue with the strike irrespective of their demands, throwing weight behind the action with a promise to take care of the leadership of the union.
It was gathered that when the letter got to the leadership of the ruling party last week, the top executive members hurriedly met behind closed-door, where they deliberated on other options.
It was gathered that the rattled political leaders feared that the venue could be shifted to Lagos, if proximity was to be considered, a situation the PDP leaders considered as dangerous, giving the fact that Aregbesola resides in Lagos.
One of the party leaders who confided in OSUN DEFENDER expressed his fear about the development, saying that Aregbesola might be up to a game in Lagos or Abuja, but also reserved his comment on the decision of the leadership of the Appeal Court.
Reacting, the state Director of Publicity of the PDP, Mr. Adeolu Adeyemo said the PDP has nothing to fear and could not be jittery over the development, saying that his party has a very good case, noting that their lawyers would peruse over the matter and advance the position of the party in due course.
“PDP has nothing to fear and could not be jittery over the letter from the petitioners’ counsel because we have a very good case. Our lawyers are still perusing the matter, I think, and the interest of the party would be advanced in due course”, said Adeyemo.
Speaking on the development, the National Coordinator of Odua Symbolic Group (OSG), Barrister Kayode Tinubu expressed his contentment over the development, saying that the Court of Appeal should recognize the fact that the issue of the election petition tribunal is time-bound.
According to him: “Time is very crucial in the prosecution of the petition at the tribunal, because the aggrieved party may want to proceed to the upper court and the leadership of the Appeal Court should watch it”, Tinubu said.
In his response, Aregbesola’s spokesman, Mr. Gbenga Fayemiwo reiterated that the proceedings at the tribunal could not afford to stop at the tail end of the petitioner’s submission, saying that the letter became imperative giving the time bound of the tribunal.
“We have no option than to cause our lawyers to change the venue to a very serious state, where government’s business is conducted with all sense of seriousness. The issue of the tribunal is time-bound and we could not help the indolence of the state government, which is not considering the demands of the judiciary workers as serious”, Fayemiwo asserted.
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That is what we need is to shift the veune of retrial
l wish to commend our symbol of truth (AREGBESOLA) & his counsel for taking this beautiful step.Oyinlola & CO have known that they have nothing to present before tribunal judge that is why they refuse to attend to demand of striking judiciary staff.They still want to be enjoy the mandate given to AREGBE by progressive and masses people of Osun State.l just pray that the request should be granted.AREGBE NI OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
time is a factor we must consider on this case.either Abuja or Osun state the judges are no cowards to give judgement.please we equally have to consider resources that will be spent on moving witnesses to a distant place.we have to be considerate in order to give a fair judgement
PDP has everything to fear, fear of the known(election rigging) and unknown(misrule), judging by their antecedents and precedents at the discredited Thomas Naron led tribunal and Garba Ali retrial tribunal. Let the appeal court president find an alternative venue and PDP can go to hell.
can someone tell me about the Application For Change Of Retrial Tribunal, what is happening?
Aregbe counsel(s) should not just stop here but be more pressing in other to get good result. Kudos
Good news!!!! Ekiti Judiciary workers’ union suspends strike
The entire Osun State will be happy if Tribunal can be move to Lagos or Abuja for Speed Tria.
I don’t believe what we need is the change in venue of the tribunal sitting. What we need to pray about is that the judges should have the fear of God so as to deliver the right judgment.
as for me ooo i know the criminal can neva go with another man’s mandate.wether dem like am or not the mandate shall be retrieved,our prayers will not go in vain,and i will like to use this opportunity to let the good people of osun knows that there is another existing something far far sweeter than honey.that is the people’s choice eng fauf aregbeshola.
hmmn thank god we the action congress faithful made the right decision by making eng rauf aregbeshola the party flag bearer in the april 14 2007 gubernitorial election.okunkun de or what did he name himself would have been robbed and nothing is going to come out of it.the man has been used by th dream killers and has been forgotten.no one know is whereabout.letscontinue to thank god.and surely one day god is going to crown our effort with victory in tribunal and any other place they wanted to go.if they find no place to go they should go 6ft beyond th ground.
leave em alone mr rauf the more they destroy billboard the more will continue to like you
Ogun odun m bo wa ku ola
Bee ni babamatto
Bee ni babamatto and God wil help us