By Gbenga Olarinoye

OSOGBO—Action Congress, AC, gubernatorial candidate in the April 2007 election in Osun State, Mr Rauf Aregbesola yesterday formally closed his case before the Osun State elections petition re-retrial tribunal.

After six months of legal firework, Aregbesola closed his case after calling 82 witnesses. His last witness was Mr Tunde Yadeka, an Information Technologist.

Aregbesola’s counsel, Deji Sasegbon, SAN, told the tribunal after Yadeka’s cross examination by Oyinlola’s counsel Nathaniel Oke, SAN, that he was officially closing his case before the tribunal.

The tribunal subsequently adjourned till Thursday, 20 January when Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, is expected to open his case.

It would be recalled that the court of appeal sitting in Ibadan had in March 2009 in its judgement ordered the retrial of the petition filed by the AC governorship candidate in 2007.

Aregbesola had approached the appellate court after the Thomas Naron-led tribunal had dismissed his petition in a judgement delivered in July 2008.

Meanwhile, counsel to Oyinlola, the PDP, INEC and the police had expressed their readiness to open their defence on the adjourned date.lOyinlola begins defence Jan 20