Akeredulu Vs Jegede: Anxiety as Tribunal Announces Date to Deliver Judgement on Ondo Governorship election
- The election petition tribunal in charge of the October 20 governorship election in Ondo said it will deliver its judgement on Friday, April 23
- Akeredolu of the ruling APC was declared the winner of the election by the nation's electoral body, INEC
- However, the candidate of the opposition PDP, Jegede, went to the tribunal to challenge Akeredolu's victory
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The Ondo state governorship election petition tribunal has fixed Friday, April 23, to deliver the judgement on the petition filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Eyitayo Jegede.
Jegede is challenging the victory of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in the October 20 governorship election.
The panel announced the date through a notice to all parties in the case, The Punch reported.
After the declaration of Akeredolu as the winner, Jegede approached the tribunal, seeking nullification of the election on the alleged ground that the poll was marred by irregularities.
He also asked the court to nullify the nomination of Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his deputy, claiming that they were not duly nominated by their party, The Nation reported.
However, Akeredolu through his lawyers pleaded with the court to dismiss Jegede’s petition on several grounds.
After both parties had adopted their written addresses at the tribunal on February 25, the court then reserved its judgement till April 2021.
Meanwhile, Governor Akeredolu on Thursday, April 1, handed over power to his deputy, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa.
The Ondo state governor took this action following his decision to go on a 15-day working vacation beginning from Thursday.
Richard Olatunde, Akeredolu's chief press secretary, said the leave is supposed to end by Friday, April 23.
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In other news, the Ondo state government has petitioned the Nigerian police over alleged unlawful possession of official vehicles by Agboola Ajayi, the immediate past deputy governor.
The state government accused the former deputy governor of refusing to return four official vehicles in his possession months after leaving office.
Legit.ng gathers that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu's senior assistant on special duties and strategy, Dr Doyin Odebowale, signed the petition. Odebowale said he has been mandated to recover all government properties still in the possession of former political office holders in the state.
Source: Legit.ng