Ogun tribunal strikes out petition against Abiodun’s victory

The Ogun state election petition tribunal has struck out the petition of Adekunle Akinlade,  governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in the state, challenging the victory of Dapo Abiodun, candidate of the All Progressives Congress candidate (APC).

At its sitting on Saturday, the tribunal, in a unanimous judgement, said the petition lacked merit.

In his petition, Akinlade, the preferred candidate of Ibikunle Amosun, former governor of the state, asked the tribunal to nullify the victory of Abiodun over allegation of over-voting in favour of the governor.

Akinlade also alleged that Abiodun lacked the qualification to contest the governorship election and prayed the tribunal to declare him the winner of the March 16  election.

But Yusuf Halilu, presiding judge and the chairman of the tribunal, described the petition as “lazy, deficient and shallow”.

The judge, in his ruling on the preliminary objections, struck out Akinlade’s application seeking disqualification of Abiodun on the grounds of submitting false academic qualification.

He said the issue of information about academic qualification in Abiodun’s sworn affidavit had been concluded at the appeal court.

Halilu said Akinlade’s petition was destined to fail “for lack of substance”.

“This petition is destined to fail, it failed and it is hereby struck out,” he ruled.