Ondo Guber: Gov Aiyedatiwa, Ajayi, Others Know Fate June 4

The Ondo State Election Petitions Tribunal has fixed June 4 for judgements on the petitions before it on the outcome of the November 16 governorship election in the State.

The Tribunal, led by Justice Benson Ogubu, fixed the date after the petitioners and respondents adopted their written addresses for and against the outcome of the governorship election.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the winner of the governorship election, having defeated other candidates in the exercise.

But, dissatisfied with the outcome of the election, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Hon. Agboola Ajayi, challenged the outcome of the election at the Justice Ogbu-led Tribunal.

Other members of the Tribunal include Justices Daurabu Sikkam and Imelda Etiape.

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PDP candidate in the November 16 governorship election had through his counsel, Ishaka Dikko, filed a petition against the election that produced Governor Aiyedatiwa of the APC as the winner.

Aside from the main opposition PDP, other political parties that filed petitions before the Election Petitions Tribunal are the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

At the Tribunal sitting on Saturday, the petitioners adopted their written addresses and asked the Tribunal to set aside the election of November 16.

The PDP, through its Counsel, Bankole Akomolafe, said the Certificate of Return given to Aiyedatiwa by INEC should be invalidated because of substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

Lawyers to other opposition parties, including the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 general election, Prince Adewole Adebayo, also want the Tribunal to nullify the election results based on what they called massive irregularities during the poll.

However, counsels to Aiyedatiwa; his deputy, Dr. Olayide Adelami; INEC, and other respondents, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, and other lawyers, asked the Tribunal to dismiss the petitions with substantial cost.

According to the lawyers, there was nothing substantial before the Tribunal to show irregularities. Also, they said there were no witnesses to prove electoral malpractice during the governorship election.

Justice Benson Ogbu-led Tribunal has, therfore, fixed June 4 for the final decision on the petitions filed by the opposition parties.