The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Ogun State, on Thursday, upheld the victory of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, as the duly elected Senator for Ogun West Senatorial District in the February 25 National Assembly election.
Justice Kabir Gabo while delivering the judgement in a petition marked EPT/OG/Sen/2023 filed by the senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dada Ganiu Adeleke, dismissed the petition for lacking in merit.
Tbe Gabo panel submitted that the petitioner through his two witnesses, failed to substantiate the allegations that the election did not meet Electoral Act and constitutional requirements, as well as manual voting procedure.
The Chairman of the Tribunal equally said that the petitioner could not prove his allegation of electoral malpractices against the respondent, describing the petition as a mere “academic exercise.”
The Tribunal said that the prayer of Adeleke that the victory of Senator Adeola be declared null, void and of no consequence, as well as, alternative prayer that he should be declared the winner of the senatorial election could not stand or be granted for lack of merit.
Counsel to Senator Adeola, Deji Eniseyin, described the verdict as a victory for democracy and a confirmation of the position of the law on the matter.
While Counsel to the petitioner, Festus Ogun, said that the judgement would be reviewed.
Ogun said, “We will review the judgement and advise our client on the next course of action. We have applied for the judgement to test it. The Tribunal has right to be wrong but we have the right too to approach the Court of Appeal to correct the wrong.”
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