The National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, has ordered the All Progressives Congress, its candidate Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji, and the Independent National Electoral Commission to present and conclude their defence within six days in the petition challenging the outcome of the August 16 Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency by-election.
The directive followed the closure of the Peoples Democratic Party’s case on November 24, after its legal team called 26 witnesses before the three-member panel chaired by Justice A.M. Yakubu.
INEC had declared Ayoola-Elegbeji winner of the by-election, announcing that she polled 41,237 votes, defeating her PDP rival, Bola Oluwole, who scored 14,324 votes.
The African Democratic Congress candidate finished third with 289 votes.
Disputing the result, the PDP approached the tribunal, alleging that the election was disrupted in 448 of 557 polling units.
In its petition, the party asked the tribunal to nullify the election, revoke the certificate of return issued to Ayoola-Elegbeji, and order a fresh by-election in the constituency.
Documents obtained by DAILY GAZETTEÂ show that the party listed 49 witnesses to substantiate its claims of over-voting, violence, intimidation, and vote-buying.
These witnesses were cross-examined by lawyers representing the respondents, Olutayo Ayeni (INEC), Taiwo Osinpitan (APC candidate), and Remi Olatubora (APC).
Closing his case, PDP counsel Olumuyiwa Obanewa urged the tribunal to rely on the evidence presented and grant all the reliefs sought.
In response, the respondents’ counsel jointly requested an adjournment between December 8 and 13 to allow them to call their witnesses.
Justice Yakubu granted the request and adjourned the case to the specified dates for all respondents to open and close their defence.
