Oyo: Court rejects APM’s challenge to Makinde’s election

On Thursday, the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Oyo State ruled in favor of Governor Seyi Makinde’s victory in the March 18 election, rejecting a petition submitted by the Allied Peoples’ Movement.

Makinde’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agenda helped him win reelection for a second term as governor.

APM reportedly disputed Makinde’s victory before the tribunal, according to information acquired by Infostride News. It should be noted that INEC and PDP are also named as respondents.

Attorney Henry Bello representing APM has requested the tribunal to dismiss the case against Makinde.

According to Bello, the petition’s intended recipient, Mr. Adeniran Oluwaseyi, has lost faith in it and instead congratulated Makinde.

Kizito Duru, an attorney for INEC, stated that his client did not contest the petition and would not be asking for any financial compensation.

Isiaka Olagunju, an attorney for the PDP, stated that he had no objections to the dismissal of the case. He then requested that the petitioner be ordered to pay costs of N2 million.

When asked about the withdrawal application, Kunle Kalejaye, Makinde’s attorney, indicated that he too received it on the day of the hearing and that he was not opposed to it.

He pleaded with the panel to throw down the petition and impose a hefty N10 million fine on the petitioner as a deterrent.

However, as reported by Infostride News, the tribunal unanimously ruled against the APM in a judgement read by its Chairman, Justice Ejiron Emudainohwo.

The tribunal found in favor of Makinde and the PDP, and granted them N1 million in costs against APM.

The petition was deemed frivolous by Emudainohwo.

The petition was filed 46 days after the party knew its candidate was not interested, she said, which was disgusting.

She argued that the petitioner should pay the respondents’ and the tribunal’s costs because they were both wasted during the course of the case.