Akure: The Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Akure has upheld the victory of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa in the November 16, 2024, election, declaring the petitions against him as speculative.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the tribunal, in a unanimous judgment delivered by the three-member panel led by Justice Benson Ogbu, found that the petitioners failed to prove allegations of over-voting and non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 beyond a reasonable doubt. Justices Imelda Etiape and Daurabu Sikkam joined Justice Ogbu in affirming Aiyedatiwa’s victory and dismissing all petitions against him.
The tribunal, which commenced its proceedings on January 31, received five petitions challenging the election’s outcome. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Aiyedatiwa, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the election winner. The petitioners sought to nullify the election based on alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
The petitioners included the Action Alliance (AA) and its candidate, Mr. Abdullahi Olowokere; the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate, Chief Bamidele Akingboye; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Mr. Agboola Ajayi; the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and its candidate, Kolawole Ogunfeyimi; and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its candidate, Mr. Adeyemi Nejo. The respondents were the APC, Aiyedatiwa and his running mate, Mr. Olayide Adelami, and INEC.
Counsel for the PDP, Mr. Ishaka Dikko and Bankole Akomolafe, argued substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act, urging the tribunal to void Aiyedatiwa’s certificate of return. In contrast, Aiyedatiwa, his deputy, and INEC requested the tribunal to dismiss the petitions.
The tribunal found no substantiated evidence of vote buying and declared the petitions lacking merit that could nullify the election outcome. The AA, through its National Chairman, Mr. Adekunle Omoaje, claimed that Aiyedatiwa’s declaration as winner was illegal due to non-compliance with the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution. However, the panel held that the AA lacked standing to file the petition, as the matter should have been addressed in a high court before the election.
The panel also dismissed APM’s claims of corrupt practices, citing insufficient material facts. Similarly, the SDP failed to prove allegations of over-voting and corrupt practices by INEC in favor of the APC. The tribunal criticized the petitions as a waste of time and resources, noting the lack of evidence to support the allegations.
The petitions by ADC and its candidate were deemed baseless, as they failed to connect any polling unit to the alleged malpractices. The tribunal also dismissed the PDP’s allegations concerning the deputy governor’s qualifications and non-compliance with electoral laws, noting they were pre-election matters already resolved by the apex court.
The tribunal concluded that the PDP’s evidence was faulty due to the lack of credible identification and verification. It dismissed all petitions for lack of merit, maintaining Aiyedatiwa’s victory in the election.