The National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, has given the All Progressives Congress, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and APC’s candidate, Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji, six days to open and close their defence in a case instituted against the outcome of the August 16 Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency by-election.
The decision came after the Peoples Democratic Party closed its case on November 24, having called 26 witnesses to prove its case before the three-member panel led by Justice A.M. Yakubu.
INEC had declared Ayoola-Elegbeji as the winner of the by-election.
The electoral commission stated that Ayoola-Elegbeji secured 41,237 votes, against her closest rival, Bola Oluwole of the PDP, who recorded 14,324 votes, while the candidate of the African Democratic Congress scored 289 votes.
However, the PDP dragged INEC, APC, and Ayoola-Elegbeji before the tribunal, alleging that the election was disrupted in 448 out of 557 polling units.
According to documents of proceedings sighted by Saturday PUNCH, the PDP, among other things, prayed the tribunal to nullify the election and set aside the certificate of return issued by the first respondent (INEC) to the second respondent (Ayoola-Elegbeji).
The party also requested that the first respondent conduct a fresh by-election for the House of Representatives, Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency.
Counsel to PDP, Olumuyiwa Obanewa, listed 49 witnesses to prove the case.
The witnesses were cross-examined by counsels to the respondents: Olutayo Ayeni (INEC), Taiwo Osinpitan (APC candidate), and Remi Olatubora (APC).
Led in evidence by PDP counsel Obanewa, the witnesses alleged that the election was marred by over-voting, violence, intimidation, and vote-buying.
Closing his case, Obanewa urged the tribunal to act on the evidence of the witnesses and grant all the prayers of the petitioners.
In response, counsels to the respondents requested that the tribunal adjourn till December 8–13 for all respondents to call their witnesses.
Justice Yakubu adjourned the case to the requested dates for all respondents to present their witnesses and close their respective cases.
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