Categories: Latest News

Ondo election: INEC opens defence at tribunal

Published by

The Ondo State Election Petition Tribunal on Tuesday resumed sitting with an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Tope Aina, disagreeing with the petitioner that votes scored by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu were wrongly credited.

Aina who stated this while the commission opened its defence in the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, at the Ondo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Akure.

The INEC official while being cross-examined said that there was no objection from anybody, including the petitioner when Akeredolu was published by INEC as the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer.

Aina who said he has been working with INEC for over 30 years said all the particulars of Akeredolu were published by the commission for public consumption on July 31, 2020, with no objections from any quarters.

Aina maintained that he did not agree with the petitioner that votes scored by Akeredolu were wrongly credited and said the October 10, 2020 governorship election was free, fair and conducted in compliance with the Electoral Act.

When cross-examined by counsel to Jegede, Onyechi Ikpeazu, Aina stated that he could not recall whether Alhaji Ahmed Markafi was a serving governor when he presided over the affairs of the PDP.

Jegede is asking the tribunal to nullify the October 10 governorship election won by Akeredolu and declare him (Jegede) the winner.

Jegede closed his case after testifying as a witness and opted not to call any of the other 400 witnesses listed to testify.

The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Umar Abubakar, adjourned sitting to January 20 for further hearing.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Pollution, Deforestation: How Ignorance, Unclear Environmental Policies Influence Booming Fish Smoking Industry

Rays of the afternoon sun pelted her head as she fanned the embers beneath the half-cut iron drum with the smoke permeating the air. “This smoke is unbearable, Iya Maria,” said one of the three neighbours conversing under a makeshift shed about five meters away. Their voices rose and fell intermittently…

Recent Posts

AMMC, NUJ FCT to partner on infrastructural development

I assure you that whatever we can do to help your dream come true for…

1 minute ago

Nigeria’s economic recovery lies in full control of resources— Bowen don 

…saying foreign aid reliance entangles nations A Professor of Economics from the College of Management…

38 minutes ago

Paul Chukwuma decries declining standard of education in Anambra

He noted that Anambra, once a leading light in education for over a decade, has…

1 hour ago

Defection: Nigeria can’t be one-party state — SDP’s Adebayo

Prince Adewole Adebayo, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 presidential…

1 hour ago

‘No one is being coerced,’ Senate leader justifies wave of defections to APC

He equally declared that by accommodating defectors, the Tinubu administration was creating a government of…

2 hours ago

Borno community decries eight-month power outage

"The blackout has paralyzed economic activity here. Welders, tailors, cold drinks sellers, and barbers have…

2 hours ago

Welcome

Install

This website uses cookies.