Obasanjo gave the commendation on Sunday while speaking at the 16th Harvest Anniversary and Thanksgiving Service held at the Love of Christ Generation Church C&S in Victoria Island, Lagos State.

The event was attended by the Ooni of Ife, His Majesty, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi; the Publisher of Ovation Magazine, Aare Dele Momodu; Osun State House of Assembly Speaker, Adewale Egbedun and members of the Osun House of Assembly; and top political and traditional rulers,

Obasanjo cited the governor as an example of a leader who is not ashamed to praise God despite occupying the highest office in the state, explaining that dancing and working for God and the people are things to be proud of.

“Mr. Governor, they call you a dancer. But you are dancing to praise God. And I heard you are working hard for your people,” Obasanjo who spoke in Yoruba language was quoted as saying in a statement signed by Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Sunday

“Dancing to praise God is praiseworthy, especially with the reports of good developments happening in Osun State.

“God, whom you are praising, will shower His blessings on your state and government. I associate with you. Again, I learnt you are a listening leader. They said you take advice from the young and the old. I am happy to hear that.

“I call on His Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, and other royal fathers to support the governor to deliver more. Mr. Governor, continue to work closely with traditional rulers, elders, and stakeholders of your state.

“I charge Kabiyesi Ooni to always host close-door meetings with the governor. God whom the governor is praising will continue to support him. He will not fail,” Obasanjo said.

Speaking at the event, Adeleke said his habit of praise and worship was to celebrate the owner of heaven and earth, saying “I am never ashamed to hold unto God through song and dance.

“Several men and women of God predicted my governorship. I am here to praise God for the prophecy that has come to pass. My convenant with God is to come back to thank and praise him.

“I do this in several places of worship. My covenant with God is also to truly deliver dividends of democracy to my people. In 100 days in office, I did what many could not achieve in four years.

“We reformed the public service, attended to workers’ welfare, constructed and reconstructed over 40 kilometres of roads, and implemented free medical surgeries with more than 40,000 beneficiaries.

“We are working on super overhead bridges to ease connectivity. We are reforming the education sector. We are building up our agriculture sector. I am working to make Osun State a reference point.

“I seek your prayers. I solicit your support. We are committed to God and the people.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared that Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party polled 403,371 votes, to defeat then-incumbent governor Adegboyega Oyetola, of the All Progressives Congress, who got 375,027 votes.

But Oyetola and the APC rejected the result of the poll and headed for the tribunal.

The governorship election in the state was held on July 16, 2022.

In its January 27, 2023 majority verdict, the Justice Tertse Kume-led tribunal annulled Adeleke’s victory and declared Oyetola the winner of the poll.

The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of justices, led by Justice Mohammed Lawal, held that the appeal lodged by Adeleke to challenge his sack by the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal was meritorious.

The court also held that the sum of N500,000 is awarded as a cost against the All Progressive Congress and its candidate, Gboyega Oyetola.

During the ruling, the justice resolved that the preponderance of proof that there was over-voting in the elections rested on the petitioner.

The court also maintained that “the party alleging non-compliance with the electoral act must prove its case without merely relying on the weakness of the other party.”

Delivering judgment, Justice Mohammed Shaibu overruled the judgment of the governorship election tribunal that nullified the outcome of the July governorship polls.

The three-man panel revoked the tribunal’s order which directed that a Certificate of Return be withdrawn from Adeleke and issued to his predecessor and All Progressives Congress candidate, Oyetola.

The Osun tribunal had annulled Adeleke’s victory and affirmed Gboyega Oyetola of All Progressives Congress as the authentic winner of the poll.

the Independent National Electoral Commission had returned Adeleke as the winner of the poll.

INEC said Adeleke polled 403,371 votes to defeat then-incumbent Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of the APC, who got 375,027 votes

But Oyetola and the APC rejected the result of the poll and headed for the tribunal.

In its January 27, 2023 majority verdict, the Justice Tertse Kume-led tribunal annulled Adeleke’s victory and declared Oyetola the winner of the poll.

However, a minority judgment by Justice B. Ogbuli affirmed Adeleke as the winner of the poll.

Displeased, Adeleke and the PDP headed for the Court of Appeal.

The Court of Appeal heard the appeal on March 13 and reserved its judgment.

But the court of Appeal on Friday set aside the tribunal judgement.

His Notice of Appeal filed before the  Court of Appeal, Akure Division, against January 27 decision of the panel that nullified his victory, obtained in Osogbo on Thursday was signed by his lead counsel, Dr Onyeachi Ikpeazu (SAN), on behalf of 26 other lawyers.

The PDP candidate listed 31 grounds to fault the decision of the tribunal.

Adeleke contended that the tribunal decided the matter without considering the totality of his case, adding that the panel also expressed bias against him by making fun of his love for dancing.

He also said reports of entries on BVAS machines used for accreditation during the poll was superior and unique, adding that the panel should not have granted the prayers sought by the petitioners.

According to the governor, the election was fraught with certain irregularities.

He also said that Adeleke ought not to have been declared winner as he was not qualified to have contested the election in the first place, having submitted forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commision.

Adeleke was returned elected by the INEC, after defeating his closest challenger, Oyetola, and 13 other candidates, scoring a total of 403, 371

Oyetola got 375, 027 votes and won in 13 Local Government Areas of the state to come second in the election.

A member of Oyetola’s legal team, Kunle Adegoke (SAN) said the governor has assembled 50 lawyers including 10 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, listing 13 grounds on which premises Adeleke should be disqualified.

Other key members of the legal team included Prince Lateef  Fagbemi (SAN), Chief Akin Olujumi (SAN), Prince Biodun Layonu (SAN/, Muritala Abdulrasheed (SAN).

Adegoke said the election in many 749 polling units were fraught with irregularities.

The legal team, he said, have established by the petition that the election in those 749 polling units across 10 Local Governments in Osun State was characterized by irregularities pertaining to over voting.

Adegoke said, “We have nothing less than 50 lawyers, including 10 SANs that we cannot list all of them, so we have listed about 20 lawyers in the petition. We have 13 reliefs. What we are contesting is that the election is fraught with certain irregularities by which the person declared winner ought not to have been declared and the petitioner, Alhaji Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola ought to have been declared the winner on the ground that Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke was not qualified to have contested the election in the first place, having submitted forged certificate to INEC.

“The second is that the election in 749 polling units was fraught with irregularities and the election in those units ought to have been nullified. All the polling units mentioned are in 10 Local Governments, out of 30.

“So, if the election in those units is nullified and the votes are cancelled, then Alhaji Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola will have comfortable requirements of the constitution to be declared winner of the election.

Asked when the trobinal would commence sitting, Adegoke said he does not know.

“We don’t know yet but now that we have filed, it is expected that once the PDP is served, their lawyers will file their own defence then we will file a reply to their defence. That is when the tribunal will be able to give a date.

Except if either of the two parties have an application that requires urgency, only then can the Tribunal have an emergency sitting but as of now nobody knows the date”, he said.

Adegoke had on July 19 said that Oyetola may line up over 50 lawyers to contest the declaration of Adeleke as winner.

He had said, “We are still reviewing documents and the legal team is actually working. In an election of this nature, the documents will be so many; so it is important to look at them critically before we take a decision and that is exactly what we are working on right now.

“Dr Biodun Layonu (SAN), is the leader of the team. The legal team is not complete yet because there are so many others that will still come in.

“In the meantime, the two members of the legal team we can reveal is Dr Biodun Layonu and Kunle Adegoke. Others that may come in are people, we may not know but as soon as we are ready to move, we will notify the press.

“The membership can’t be determined as many lawyers are interested in joining the team. You know election petition is a special case. So, we allow as many lawyers that are interested to come in. We may run into 50 or more membership.”

When contacted for reaction, the Chairman, Media Management Team of Osun PDP, Prince Diran Odeyemi, said the party was not losing sleep over the petition.

According to him, many of APC leaders that were saying that the result of the election should be challenged before the tribunal, lost election in their wards, saying APC should have adopted the spirit of sportsmanship regarding the result of the poll.

“It is so unfortunately that APC did not believe in the spirit of sportsmanship. We would have expected them to congratulate Adeleke. Many of them, who are championing the cause of tribunal lost in their polling units and their wards.

“We wonder what they want to take to the Tribunal now. We are not afraid or losing sleep, Oyetola can’t win. We will meet them at the tribunal. Regarding the allegation of forged certificate, there is nothing like that. They are only looking for an avenue to come back to government through the backdoor. PDP is thorough political party that look at all the certificates presented by the candidates,” Odeyemi concluded.

The Governorship Candidate of PDP in Osun, according to the party was arrested by the police in Abuja.

The Party National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, made the call at a press conference on Monday in Abuja.

Ologbondiyan condemned the arrest, describing it as unconstitutional, provocative and part of the plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stall his tribunal case.

He described the arrest as total disregard for the extant order of the an Osun State High Court, Ikirun, issued on Monday, restraining the police or its agents from arresting and detaining him.

He said that the court restrained the police from arresting Adeleke on account of statement of result and testimonial duly issued by Ede Muslim Grammar School, Ede, pending the determination of the originating summons pending in the court.

He said that the police, however, arrested Adeleke, representing Osun West Senatorial District, on the guise of an invitation despite the direct orders of the state court.

He said that Adeleke, as a law-abiding citizen, honoured an invitation by the police only for him to be arrested and detained in a facility in Maitama, in direct affront to the order of the State High Court.

“The arrest and detention of Senator Adeleke is a direct act of violence against our laws, the institution of the judiciary and the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“This is part of the grand plot by the APC to coerce Adeleke to relinquish the mandate that was freely given to him by the people of Osun state, which was further established by the election petition tribunal.

“The plot is to drag Adeleke before an ostensibly compromised magistrate court, over the same issues of alleged forged school testimonial that is already before the Federal High Court.

“This is with a view to using such corridor to secure a stampeded trial and hurried conviction, and put him out of circulation, over trump-up charges.”

Ologbondiyan said that any arraignment of Adeleke in a magistrate court, for a matter already being heard by the Federal High Court, was a calculated plot to cause crisis in the judicial system, enmesh the matter in unnecessary controversy as a pathway to truncate the course of justice in his matter.

“The PDP therefore demands forthwith, the immediate and unconditional release of Adeleke by the police.

“This demand is predicated on fears already in the public space that there are plots by certain elements to poison him in detention.”

Ologbondiyan urged those behind plot against Adeleke to retrace their steps and allow the people of Osun State to move ahead with their preferred governor.

“Nothing, not even these heinous plots, will subvert this reality.”

Adeleke is currently facing trial on seven counts amended charges bordering on examination malpractice before an Abuja Federal High Court.

Adeleke was first arraigned by the Federal Government in September 2018 on four counts bordering on examination malpractice, along with his brother, Sikiru Adeleke and three others.

The dancing senator is reported to have been arrested by the police in Abuja.

The senator was arraigned in a Federal High Court in Abuja where he was granted permission to travel to the United States on health grounds.

By Emmanuel Oloniruha (NAN)