The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, has upheld the election of Prince Dapo Abiodun of All Progressives Congress (APC), as the governor of Ogun State and dismissed the petition filed by Honourable Abiodun Akinlade of the Allied People’s Movement (APM).
The Justice Yusuf Halilu-led three-man panel dismissed Akinlade’s petition in it’s entirety.
In a unanimous judgement the tribunal said the petition lacked merit, describing it as “lazy, deficient and shallow.”
Halilu also declared that Akinlade’s petition was destined to fail for lack of substance.
He said, “This petition is destined to fail, it failed and it is hereby struck out.”
It was an over five-hour session. He started reading the judgement from around 10:07a.m and ended around 3:50 p.m on Saturday.
APC’s Abiodun had defeated APM’s Akinlade who was favoured by the immediate past Governor of the state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, as his successor.
Abiodun had 241,670 votes, while Akinlade scored 222,153 votes in the March 9 governorship election.
Meanwhile, reacting to the judgment, the Ogun State chapter of the APC has commended the verdict of the tribunal, describing it “as an affirmation of a popular and overwhelming candidate”.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Abeokuta and signed by the Publicity Secretary of the Ogun APC Caretaker Committee, Tunde Oladunjoye, the party commended the panel of judges for a detailed and thorough job.
The statement reads in part:
“ The party wishes to commend the judges for a thorough job done. The detailed nature of the judgement clears all doubts and reconfirms our belief that the petition by Abdulkabir Akinlade, APM and their sponsors as mere distractions by sore losers.
“It is very commendable that the judgment of the tribunal was relayed live on radio and television stations and steamed on the internet. This has exposed the lack of depth, procedurally contaminated and virus invested Petition to the whole world. In fact, it is very shameful for a candidate and party that were touting to govern a so educationally advanced state like Ogun.
“Our advice is for these people to desist from their distractions and join Prince Dapo Abiodun in building the future of Ogun State together. The Governor has been running the promised all inclusive government.
“While thanking our party leaders and members for standing steadfast, we also commend the section of the media that has remained ethical and unbiased.”
