TUESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2011 13:25 ADMINISTRATOR HITS: 214
The Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, yesterday nullified the election of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Oyetunde Ojo and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a fresh election within 90 days. Ojo who is an in-law to former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is representing Ekiti West, Ijero and Efon Federal Constituency in the House was dragged to the tribunal by the National Transformation Party, NTP, candidate, Mr. Bamidele Peter.
Peter and his party are challenging the victory of Ojo on the ground that INEC unlawfully excluded his name and the party logo in the ballot papers during the April 26 general elections.
Delivering its judgment, the tribunal in a unanimous judgment read by Justice Patrick Uhuo, dismissed the grounds of defense by the respondents (Ojo and the INEC), noting that their defense was incompetent having been based on technicalities and that “the tribunal is concerned purely with post-election matters and will keep to that.”
The tribunal said: “The evidences before the tribunal show that the first petitioner (Bamidele Peter) was validly nominated by the second petitioner, NTP,” stressing that “the tribunal has no doubt that the petitioner was unlawfully excluded from the election of April 26, 2011.”
Flanked by the chairman of the panel, Justice Ibrahim Bako and another member, Mrs. Bukunola Adebiyi, Justice Uhuo, said “consequently, the election held on April 26, 2011 and the return of Oyetunde Ojo as the winner is hereby nullified according to the provisions of Section 140 of the Electoral Act. “The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is hereby ordered to conduct fresh election including the name and logo of the first and second petitioner within 90 days.”
Reacting to the judgment, counsel to the petitioner, Mr. Obafemi Adewale lauded the tribunal for upholding the rule of law and justifying the confidence reposed on it by the petitioner
However, counsel to the respondents, Mr. Niyi Idowu, said his client would appeal the judgment..lection Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, yesterday nullified the election of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Oyetunde Ojo and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a fresh election within 90 days. Ojo who is an in-law to former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is representing Ekiti West, Ijero and Efon Federal Constituency in the House was dragged to the tribunal by the National Transformation Party, NTP, candidate, Mr. Bamidele Peter.
Peter and his party are challenging the victory of Ojo on the ground that INEC unlawfully excluded his name and the party logo in the ballot papers during the April 26 general elections.
Delivering its judgment, the tribunal in a unanimous judgment read by Justice Patrick Uhuo, dismissed the grounds of defense by the respondents (Ojo and the INEC), noting that their defense was incompetent having been based on technicalities and that “the tribunal is concerned purely with post-election matters and will keep to that.”
The tribunal said: “The evidences before the tribunal show that the first petitioner (Bamidele Peter) was validly nominated by the second petitioner, NTP,” stressing that “the tribunal has no doubt that the petitioner was unlawfully excluded from the election of April 26, 2011.”
Flanked by the chairman of the panel, Justice Ibrahim Bako and another member, Mrs. Bukunola Adebiyi, Justice Uhuo, said “consequently, the election held on April 26, 2011 and the return of Oyetunde Ojo as the winner is hereby nullified according to the provisions of Section 140 of the Electoral Act. “The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is hereby ordered to conduct fresh election including the name and logo of the first and second petitioner within 90 days.”
Reacting to the judgment, counsel to the petitioner, Mr. Obafemi Adewale lauded the tribunal for upholding the rule of law and justifying the confidence reposed on it by the petitioner
However, counsel to the respondents, Mr. Niyi Idowu, said his client would appeal the judgment..
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