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The Ondo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal began sitting on Friday in Akure to consider petitions filed by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the Social Democratic Party(SDP) and the African Democratic Congress(ADC).
The parties and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will be presenting a total of 149 witnesses before the Election Petition Tribunal during the course of the sessions.
The candidate of the PDP in the November 16 governorship election, Agboola Ajayi, had, through his counsel, Ishaka Dikko, filed a petition against the election that produced Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the APC as the winner.
The SDP and the ADC also separately filed petitions against the outcome of the election.
Mr Aiyedatiwa was declared winner of the November 16, 2024 governorship election after he polled 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival and a former deputy governor of the state Ajayi Agboola. Mr Ajayi scored 117,845 votes.
The final results showed that the APC won the election in all the 18 local government areas in the state.
The opposition parties are contesting the results alleging massive electoral fraud including vote buying.
The tribunal is headed by Justice Benson Ogubu, with Justices Daurabu Sikkam and Imelda Etiape as members.
The petitioners are asking the Election Petition Tribunal to annul the November 16 governorship election because the election results did not reflect the wishes of the electorate and the APC candidates were not qualified for the polls.
However, the respondents, in their replies, said the issue of qualifications has been determined at the Federal High Court and the Federal Court of Appeal. They asked the Tribunal to dismiss the petitions.
At the inaugural sitting and pretrial conference of the Tribunal witnessed by Governor Aiyedatiwa, his Deputy, Olaiyide Adelami, and top politicians across the political divides, the Tribunal sought the cooperation of the senior lawyers during the pendency of the trial.
Representing the petitioners as counsels are Ishaka Dikko and Bankole Joy Akomolafe, while Charles Edosan, Bode Olanipekun, H.O. Afolabi and Tayo Oyetibo represented the respondents.
The respondents including Governor Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, the APC and the INEC.
During the pre-trial conference, all the lawyers of the parties agreed to call 149 witnesses. Out of the figure, the PDP would call 43, the INEC 19, and Aiyedatiwa would call 32, while APC and Adelami would call 20 and 35 witnesses, respectively.
In his remarks, Justice Ogbu assured all parties involved in the petition matters of fair hearing and appropriate justice. He asked for the cooperation of all counsel in the matter, saying that the overall best interest would be based on the prevalence of the constitution.
He asked counsels not to preempt the decisions of the tribunal, adding that they should not be in a haste to address the press but should wait till the final decision of the tribunal.
According to him, the use of phones or any device in recording and capturing the tribunal’s proceedings and the faces of justices will not be allowed. The chairman asked anyone in doubt to approach the tribunal’s secretariat for clarity.
The Tribunal fixed February 10 for the counsels to the parties to file all their applications, preliminary objections, and reply on the point of law for the case to proceed without delay.
Speaking shortly after the proceeding, Governor Aiyedatiwa said he was not worried about the petition against his victory.
He said the election was adjudged as one of the most peaceful and credible elections in Nigeria in recent times.
“There is nothing to worry about. The election was peaceful and recorded as one of the most peaceful, credible, and transparent elections in Nigeria in recent times. Sitting at the election tribunal is a way of listening to what the opposition is trying to say,” he said.
“You know, learning is a continuum; even as a governor, I still want to learn about what is going on in the judiciary arm of government, especially having the senior lawyers in the legal profession sitting also in the panel.
“It is an exercise for me, and I want to be part of it. There is nothing to worry about.”