Ondo tribunal upholds Gov Akeredolu’s election

The Ondo State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Akure on Tuesday upheld the victory of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in the October 10, 2020 governorship election in the state.

In the ruling which was held via Zoom, the Justice Abubakar Umar-led panel also dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, for want of Jurisdiction and lack of merit.

The judgment was initially slated to hold on Wednesday but was pushed forward by 24 hours.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Akeredolu the winner of the election after he polled the highest lawful votes in the election.

Jegede and former Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, who represented the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in the election, finished second and third respectively.

READ ALSO: ‘You will fail at Ondo election tribunal,’ APC tells Jegede

The PDP candidate, who was not satisfied with the outcome of the election, challenged the governor’s victory at the tribunal.

However, the panel said the issues raised in the petition are the party’s internal affairs for which it has no Jurisdiction.

The tribunal ruled that Akeredolu and his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, were duly nominated and sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in line with section 177 of the constitution and section 31 of the Electoral Act.

Justice Umar said: “The tribunal cannot determine whether Mai Bala Buni, the governor of Yobe State is illegally occupying the seat of the Chairman of the APC National Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee.”

He said Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa demonstrated without the benefit of the doubt that they were duly sponsored by their party.

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