Osun Election: Tribunal confirms Aregbesola’s victory

The Election Petitions Tribunal hearing matters arising from the
August 9, 2014 Osun State governorship election has dismissed the
petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate,
Senator Iyiola Omisore, against the victory of the All Progressives
Congress candidate, Alhaji Rauf Aregbesola, for failure to prove the
allegations contained in the petition.
In a judgement read for about seven and half hours amid heavy presence
of security men at the court premises in Osogbo, the tribunal's
chairman, Justice Elizabeth Ikpejime, said the petitioner failed to
prove which provision of the Electoral Act the election contravened.
Omisore had dragged Aregbesola before the tribunal asking the panel to
nullify the governor's victory and declare him winner of the poll.
He had said that the election was vitiated by malpractices perpetrated
by agents of the first respondent thus asking the tribunal to sack
Aregbesola.
But the tribunal upheld Aregbesola's victory and said the APC
candidate scored 394,684 votes credited to him by the Independent
National Electoral Commission, while Omisore polled 292,747 votes.
The petitioner challenged the election result in 939 polling units in
142 wards in 17 local government areas.
The disputed local government areas are Ayedaade, Atakumosa East,
Boripe, Ede North, Ede South, Ejigbo, Ifelodun, Ilesa East and Ilesa
West.
Others are Irepodun Local Government, Irewole, Iwo, Obokun, Olaoluwa,
Olorunda, Oriade and Osogbo Local Government Area.
Firstclassnewsline.net
However, Justice Ikpejime held that the petitioner failed to prove the
allegations contained in his petition.
The dismissal of the petition triggered jubilation as APC supporters
took to the street to celebrate the victory.
But Omisore's counsel, Mr. Nathaniel Oke, said though the judgement
was binding on his client, there were some areas of disagreements.
He said that his client would appeal the judgement.
Meanwhile, Aregbesola dedicated the victory to the people of the state.
He said in a statement made available to our correspondent that the
verdict was the demonstration of the wish of the people.
The governor said in a sane society, Omisore would not have approached
the election tribunal because there was no redress to be sought.
"It is pertinent to state here that those who went to the tribunal
knew that the petition lacked any substance whatsoever; it is a share
waste of the time of the judiciary," he said.
Firstclassnewsline.net