Tribunal dismisses AP’s candidate petition against Aregbesola

The Election Petitions Tribunal hearing matters arising from the August 9 governorship election in Osun State has dismissed the petition filed by the governorship party of the Accord Party, Mr. Niyi Owolade.

The tribunal headed by Justice Elizabeth Ikepjime also awarded N150,000 against the petitioner. 

Owolade had, through his counsel, Mr. Jacobs Adedayo, at the resumed hearing on Thursday, announced the withdrawal of the petition. 

The counsel had moved a motion dated January 8 and told the court that the petition decided to discontinue  with the case because the panel would not be able to conclude the mater within 180 days allotted to it by the Electoral Act. 

The first respondent, Governor Rauf Aregbesola did not raise any objection to the application to withdraw the petition.

Aregbesola, who was represented by his counsel, Mr. Wale Afolabi, however prayed the panel to award a cost of N5 million against the petitioner. 

Counsel for the All  Progressives Congress, Mr.  Basiru Ajibola, also did not object the petitioner’s application but he said all the grounds of the application were “speculative, hypothethical, and calculated to scandalise the judicial process of the tribunal.”

The APC’s counsel asked for a cost of N10 million against the petitioner. 

Counsel for the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mr. Ayotunde Ogunleye, also did not object to the application of the petitioner.

He described the petition as a gross abuse of court process which he said should not be  condoned. 

He also asked for a cost of N25 million against the petitioner. 

The tribunal frowned at the grounds upon which the petitioner based his application to withdraw  the petition.

The  chairman of the panel subsequently  dismissed the petition and slammed a cost of N50,000 which he was ordered to pay to each of the three respondents. 

The panel had on Monday adjourned until January 28th for the adoption of written addresses by the parties involved in the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Iyiola Omisore, to challenge Aregbesola’s victory.