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Oyo governor versus Ladoja: Tribunal delivers judgment Tuesday
 
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Thu, 22 Oct 2015   ||   Nigeria,
 

The Justice Mohammed Mayaki-led Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal for Oyo State has fixed Tuesday, October 27 for judgment in a petition filed by Senator Rashidi Ladoja of Accord Party against the validity of the victory of Governor Abiola Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ladoja is asking that the tribunal declare him winner of the April 11 election, claiming that he polled the highest number of lawful votes and with 25 per cent in 22 out of 33 local government areas, or alternatively order a rerun of the election.

In his petition number EPT/IB/GOV/22/2015, the former governor, through his lawyer, Richard Ogunwole (SAN), averred that out of the 33 councils in the state, election only took place in 23 as well as in some units in the remaining 10 councils.

He argued further that the election was marred by non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2010, over-voting, non-accreditation of voters, deliberate refusal to use the smart card readers, ballot stuffing, ballot paper and boxes snatching, multiple thumb-printing of ballot papers, among others.

Ladoja had tendered about 100 exhibits and called many witnesses to buttress the claims in his petition during the hearing of the petition.

But Governor Ajimobi, through his counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), had wondered why Ladoja did not join former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of the Labour Party as respondent in the petition since it was Alao-Akala that won in the five councils in Ogbomoso which results Ladoja also challenged.

In his written address, Olanipekun told the tribunal to dismiss the petition for being grossly incompetent, with no substantial evidence and argued that Ladoja was not qualified to stand for the election because he did not emerge through party primaries.

Ogunwole, in his own address, challenged Olanipekun to provide proof that Accord Party did not conduct governorship primary before producing Ladoja as its candidate.

After adoption of the addresses on September 30, chairman of the tribunal, Justice Mayaki, informed counsel that the date of judgment would be communicated to them.

 

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