Akeredolu, Jegede, To Know Fate As Election Tribunal Fixes April For Judgement |The Source

By Ayodele Oni

The Election Petition Tribunal hearing the petition of the Ondo Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), in 2020 election,  Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, has fixed April 2021 for judgement.

Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Umar Abubakar, gave the ruling after Counsels to parties adopted their written addresses on Thursday.

Jegede had filed the petition to  challenge the victory of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in the October 10, 2020 election.

Governor Akeredolu was, on Wednesday  inaugurated for a second term of office along with his deputy, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Among the grounds of Jegede’s petition are that Akeredolu was not properly elected at the primary election conducted by the interim committee of his party, the All Progressives Congress, (APC) and that the October 10 election was marred by violence.

Adopting his final brief of arguement, Counsel to the petitioner, Onyechi Ikpeazu accused defence counsel of trying to trivialliase constitutional matter.

According to him, Akeredolu and his Deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, were not validly nominated to contest in the poll.

However, in his final address, counsel to INEC, Charles Edosomwan, faulted the claim of the petitioner that Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa were not lawfully sponsored by the APC.

He, therefore, prayed the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lack of merit.