Appeal court sacks senate spokesman — another loss for APC

The court of appeal sitting in Kaduna has sacked Dayo Adeyeye, senator representing Ekiti south.

In a unanimous judgement on Wednesday, Uzor Anyanwu, the presiding judge, upheld the verdict of the Ekiti state national assembly election petition tribunal and asked INEC to issue a certificate of return to Biodun Olujimi, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the winner of the senatorial poll in the zone.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Adeyeye, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and spokesman of the senate, winner of the election, but Olujimi challenged the outcome.

In her petition to the tribunal, Olujimi said she scored the highest number of lawful votes cast during the election and asked the court to declare her the winner.

She also asked that the election of Adeyeye be declared a nullity.

The tribunal led by DD Adeck nullified elections in some polling units to declare Olujimi winner of the exercise.

But Adeyeye filed an appeal against the judgement of the tribunal.

In his appeal, the senate spokesman asked the appellate court to set aside the decision of the tribunal declaring Olujimi as the winner of the senatorial election and affirm the declaration of INEC.

But the court ruled against him, upholding the judgement of the tribunal.

Adeyeye’s loss is coming a few days after an appeal court sacked Alhassan Doguwa, house majority leader, and Jibrin Abdulmumin – both members of the APC — from the house of representatives.