ELECTION TRIBUNAL: Okunola’s petition against Faleke struck out

The petition of a former Peoples Democratic Party candidate that vied for Ikeja Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives election, Mr Mutiu Okunola against Hon. James Faleke has been quashed by a tribunal on Friday.

An election petition tribunal sitting in Ikeja, Lagos quashed Okuola’s application that challenged the victory of James Faleke, who is representing Ikeja Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Kunaza Hamidu, struck out the application following a motion filed by the petitioner, Mutiu Okunola, a candidate of the PDP, who contested against Faleke in the election.

Recall that Okunola, who has now defected to the APC, raised a petition against Faleke, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He requested the court to reverse Faleke’s victory, and declare him the winner of the election.

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During Friday’s proceeding? However, Okunola’s counsel, Owoyemi Ibrahim, informed the tribunal that Okunola had made a decision to withdraw the petition he filed against the respondents.

Ibrahim told the three-man panel that in withdrawing the petition, Ibrahim filed a motion pursuant to Section 145(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 alongside an 11-paragraph affidavit which was deposed to by Okunola, the petitioner.

He, therefore, urged the tribunal to grant the prayers contained in the motion and withdraw the petition filed against all the respondents.

Responding, Kolawole Salami, Counsel to Faleke and Ademola Adefolaju, Counsel to the APC, told the tribunal that they would not oppose the petitioner’s motion to withdraw.

Salami and Adefolaju also informed the tribunal that their clients had filed a nine-paragraph affidavit in response to the petitioner’s motion.

Counsel to INEC, Z. S. Makinde also informed the court that INEC would not be opposing the motion.

Following the submissions of counsel, Hamidu said: “having read through the petitioner’s motion dated and filed on May 30, with the affidavit and written address and having gone through the first and second respondents’ affidavits, leave is granted to the petitioner to withdraw his motion.

“Consequently, petitioner’s petition against all the respondents is hereby struck out.”

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