Tribunal upholds PDP’s victory in Ogbomoso South

The National Assembly and State House of Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal in Ibadan on Thursday upheld the March 18 victory of Hon. Onaolapo Adedoyin of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Adedoyin winner of the election in the Ogbomoso South State Constituency after defeating Adegoke Ayodeji of APC.

Ayodeji, not satisfied with the outcome of the election, had approached the tribunal to challenge Adedoyin’s victory, with other respondents in the petition being INEC and PDP.

The petitioner alleged over-voting, non-compliance with theectoral Act, among others.

The unanimous judgment delivered by the three-man panel of tribunal and read by Justice Jubril Anaja upheld the victory.

The tribunal awarded a cost of N500,000 in favour of the respondents against the petitioners.

It explained that the petitioners failed woefully to establish the alleged over-voting and other alleged irregularities in the election.

“The petitioners factored in spoiled ballot papers in determining their over-voting and no over-voting was recorded in all the polling units mentioned by the petitioners.

“The petitioners had no knowledge of what transpired at the polling units because most of the witnesses called are ward agents.

“Evidences of ward agents called by the petitioners to testify on what happened at the polling units amount to hear-say.

“The petition is hereby dismissed and a cost of N500,000 awarded against the petitioners in favour of the respondents,” Anaja said.