The Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has upheld the victory of Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State in the April 11, 2015 election.
Chairman of the three-man panel, Justice Henry Olusiyi, who delivered the judgement in Abeokuta on Friday, dismissed the petition raised by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr Gboyega Isiaka.
Isiaka had alleged that irregularities occurred during the election.
Isiaka said the votes credited to Amosun in nine of the 20 local government areas were invalid on grounds of fraud, malpractices, ballot snatching, stuffing and outright rigging.
He had, therefore, prayed the court to declare him as the winner of the election, having scored the highest number of valid votes cast at the election.
The chairman held that the claims of the petitioner were largely unsubstantiated and the proofs grossly insufficient to support his allegations.
He said the responsibility of proving the invalidity of the votes credited to Amosun which rested on the petitioner was not properly discharged.
“Whereas the petitioner alleged malpractices in nine local government areas, but he gave evidence in only 12 out of the entire 1,672 poling units of the nine local governments.
“He has also failed to show that the alleged non-compliance of the polls with the Electoral Act 2010, as amended, substantially affected the overall result of the election.
“The petition is long in allegations but pitiably short in evidence to prove them.
“The petitioner has failed to prove his case against the respondents either on balance of probability or beyond reasonable doubt.
“The election petition filed by the petitioner on April 30, 2015 against the return of the 1st respondent lacks merit and it is accordingly dismissed.
“The election of the 1st respondent and the Governor of Ogun State on the platform of the 2nd respondent in the April 11, 2015 poll are hereby affirmed,’’ he said.
In his reaction, Isiaka said he was still studying the judgement.
Isiaka also appealed to his teeming supporters to remain calm and not to engage in any act of lawlessness.
Reacting to the tribunal verdict that affirmed the election of Amosun, the PDP candidate said in a statement that he would soon make public his next line of action.
He said: “I am appealing to all and sundry to respect the decision of the court. Though the verdict did not go the way that would have gladdens the heart of many people in the state, but as law abiding and responsible citizens, we are duty bound to respect the verdict.
“We shall carefully study the judgement as soon as possible and will make public our next line of action. But my appeal goes to all our supporters and those that might have been disappointed with the judgement to remain calm, we still have many options available to us but that decision will be made very soon.”
