The Oyo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ibadan, on Monday upheld the election of Engr Seyi Makinde as the duly elected Governor of Oyo State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had in March declared Makinde, who contested on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party as the winner of the governorship poll held on Saturday, March 9, 2019.
However, not satisfied with the result of the election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu approached the tribunal, urging it to nullify the election result.
Delivering the judgement on Monday, the Justice Muhammed Sirajo-led three-man panel held that the petitioner failed to prove the allegation of corrupt practices, over-voting, improper accreditation, inaccurate ballot counting and non-compliance with the 2010 Electoral Act (as amended).
The tribunal subsequently dismissed the petition.
Reacting, one of the counsel to Adelabu, Akin Oladeji noted that he and his other learned colleagues shall study the full judgment to know the next line of action after discussing with the gubernatorial candidate, Adelabu.
“Until we study the full judgment, then, we will know the next line of action, this judgment has just been delivered, and we need to look at everything which the court has decided and see whether to take it further,” he said.
But, the Chairman of PDP in the state, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha, while reacting, congratulated Makinde for what he called resounding victory at the election petition tribunal.
