Ondo Election Petition Tribunal Fixes Judgment for April

The Ondo State Election Petition Tribunal, saddled with the task
of handling the complaints emanating from the October 2020
governorship poll in the state, has fixed judgment for April
2021.

However, the tribunal, which did not disclose the specific date
for the judgment, said counsel to parties in the case would be
notified of the date later.

The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Umar Abubakar, made the
announcement yesterday, after counsel to parties adopted their
written addresses after closing hearing on the petition by the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Eyitayo Jegede,
challenging the victory of the state Governor, Oluwarotimi
Akeredolu, in the election.

Adopting his final brief of argument, counsel to the petitioner,
Mr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, accused the defence counsel of trying to
trivialise constitutional matter, and insisted that Akeredolu and
his Deputy, Lucky Aiyedariwa, were not validly nominated to contest
in the poll.

However, in his final address, counsel to the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC), Charles Edosomwan, faulted
the claim of the petitioner on the sponsorship of Akeredolu and
Ayedatiwa by their party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The counsel, therefore, prayed the tribunal to dismiss the
petition for lacking in merit.

While adopting their separate written addresses, counsel to
Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa, Mr. Akin Olujimi, and that of the APC,
Lateef Fagbemi, said the petitioner admitted in paragraph 12 of its
petition in the sponsorship of third and fourth respondents but
failed to prove that they were not validly nominated for the
election.

They also appealed to the tribunal to dismiss Jegede’s petition
for ‘chasing shadows and wasting the time of the learned
jurists’.

The tribunal Chairman, Justice Abubakar, commended the
cooperation of all the counsel, and assured them that judgement
would be given at a date in April and which would be communicated
to parties.

The Ondo State Election Petition Tribunal, saddled with the task
of handling the complaints emanating from the October 2020
governorship poll in the state, has fixed judgment for April
2021.

However, the tribunal, which did not disclose the specific date
for the judgment, said counsel to parties in the case would be
notified of the date later.

The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Umar Abubakar, made the
announcement yesterday, after counsel to parties adopted their
written addresses after closing hearing on the petition by the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Eyitayo Jegede,
challenging the victory of the state Governor, Oluwarotimi
Akeredolu, in the election.

Adopting his final brief of argument, counsel to the petitioner,
Mr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, accused the defence counsel of trying to
trivialise constitutional matter, and insisted that Akeredolu and
his Deputy, Lucky Aiyedariwa, were not validly nominated to contest
in the poll.

However, in his final address, counsel to the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC), Charles Edosomwan, faulted
the claim of the petitioner on the sponsorship of Akeredolu and
Ayedatiwa by their party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The counsel, therefore, prayed the tribunal to dismiss the
petition for lacking in merit.

While adopting their separate written addresses, counsel to
Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa, Mr. Akin Olujimi, and that of the APC,
Lateef Fagbemi, said the petitioner admitted in paragraph 12 of its
petition in the sponsorship of third and fourth respondents but
failed to prove that they were not validly nominated for the
election.

They also appealed to the tribunal to dismiss Jegede’s petition
for ‘chasing shadows and wasting the time of the learned
jurists’.

The tribunal Chairman, Justice Abubakar, commended the
cooperation of all the counsel, and assured them that judgement
would be given at a date in April and which would be communicated
to parties.