Fayemi closes defence, as tribunal adjourns for adoption of final addresses

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State on Thursday closed his
defence before the state’s Governorship Election Petition Tribunal,
sitting in Apo, Abuja, where his victory at the July 14, 2018 poll
is being challenged by the Peoples Democratic Party and its
candidate, Prof. Olusola Kolapo.

Following the development on Thursday, the Justice Suleiman
Belgore-led three-man panel adjourned till January 9 for all the
parties in the case to adopt their final written addresses.

The PDP and Kolapo had filed their petition before the tribunal
alleging that the election characterised by vote-buying, violence,
rigging and other forms of electoral malpractices.

The petitioners prayed the tribunal to declare them as winners
of the election on the grounds that they polled the majority of the
lawful votes.

They joined Fayemi, his party, the All Progressives Congress and
the Independent National Electoral Commission as the respondents to
the case.

Fayemi, was the last of the three respondents to call witnesses,
the two others having earlier called 56 witnesses in defence of the
outcome of the poll.

Fayemi, through his counsel, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), informed
the Justice Belgore-led tribunal on Thursday that he was closing
his case after his fourth witness gave evidence.

Fayemi’s fourth witness, Rufus Adunmo, who was the Deputy
Director-General of the governor’s campaign organisation, was the
60th among the defence witnesses called by all the three
respondents to the petition.

With the four additional witnesses called by Fayemi, the total
number of defence witnesses who testified in defence of the outcome
of the poll was 60.

The petitioners called a total of 71 witnesses., including
Kolapo.

Fayemi did not testify as a witness but attended the proceedings
which earlier held on Monday.

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