Governor Ademola Adeleke has praised the judiciary following a ruling by the Court of Appeal ordering a stay of proceedings in a case seeking to deregister the Accord party and other political parties ahead of the August 15 governorship election in Osun State.
In a statement issued over the weekend, Adeleke described the judiciary as the “last hope of the oppressed” and commended the appellate court justices for what he called their commitment to justice and democratic principles.
The governor said the ruling protected the constitutional rights of political stakeholders and ensured that members of Accord would not be excluded from participating in the forthcoming election.
According to him, attempts by certain groups to prevent the party from contesting the poll had failed through the court’s intervention.
Adeleke noted that judicial decisions since 2018 had consistently safeguarded his democratic rights during periods of political disputes and legal battles.
“The judiciary remains the refuge of the weak and the protector of democratic values,” the governor said, adding that the latest ruling had strengthened public confidence in the electoral process.
He urged Accord supporters and party leaders across the state and country to intensify their campaigns ahead of the August 15 election, while maintaining peaceful and lawful conduct.
The appeal, marked CA/ABJ/CV/569/2026, involves Accord against the Incorporated Trustees of National Forum of Former Legislators and six others.
During the resumed hearing, counsel to the appellant, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), informed the court of three pending applications, including a motion for stay of further proceedings filed on May 4, 2026, an application seeking departure from the rules, and another seeking leave to amend the notice of appeal.
In its bench ruling, the Court of Appeal held that the purpose of granting a stay of proceedings was to preserve the subject matter of the appeal and prevent the appeal from becoming ineffective if eventually decided in favour of the appellant.
The court stated that after reviewing the grounds of appeal and supporting affidavit evidence, and considering the limited opposition from the respondents, the appellant had provided sufficient material to justify the exercise of judicial discretion in its favour under Orders 4 Rules 10 and 11 of the Court of Appeal Rules 2021.
The appellate court also referenced a similar case, Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/444/2026 between Barrister Maxwell Mgbudem and Accord, in which a stay of proceedings had earlier been granted under comparable circumstances.
Following the ruling, the court adjourned the matter until October 27, 2026, for hearing.
