Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta

The National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State this morning ordered rerun elections to be conducted in Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu East, Ipokia and Ijebu North local government areas of Ogun state, to determine the winners of the House of Assembly seats. The election of Olujimi Otukoya of the PDP in Ijebu North East was,however,upheld.

In Ijebu Ode, Tola Banjo, a former deputy speaker had challenged the election of Wale Alausa of the PDP, alleging manipulation of the polls in some wards in the town. But in giving its verdict today, the Tribunal ordered rerun in 14 polling units in Wards 6 and 7 in the town, to determine the real winner.

Adejuwon O Oyenuga of the Peoples Democratic Party was declared the winner of the Ijebu East House of Assembly election last April. But the tribunal ordered that fresh election be conducted in 7 polling units where irregularities were noticed.

The Petitioner,Bola Akeem Badejo of the All Progressives Congress,APC had approached the court asking for nullification of the election. His prayer was also that he should be declared the winner.

The tribunal agreed that there were irregularities and manipulation in some areas and ordered for nullification of the results from those areas.

After deducting the results from those areas where irregularities were noticed, the respondent had 7,050 while the Petitioner scored 7,151 votes. But in the tribunal’s wisdom, justice would be better served by the rerun in the seven polling units.

In the Ipokia local government election,the petitioner, Sewanu Felicia Towakennu-Olatunde of the APC challenged the victory of the respondent,Adebowale Vinwanu Ojo of the PDP.

The petitioner called nine witnesses while the respondent invited six witnesses.

The tribunal stated that the evidences of the petitioner witnesses were not discredited under cross examination. The evidences pointed to irregularities that were capable of discrediting the result of the election. Among the irregularities adduced in evidence were alteration,manipulation,cancellation,stuffing of ballot boxes,mutilation of votes.

Giving judgement, the tribunal upheld the petitioner’s claim and cancelled elections in 38 units.

It ordered for fresh election to be conducted in the areas enumerated within 90 days.

There was a minority ruling on the Ijebu North 1 state constituency.

The Majority decision called for rerun in some units,where irregularities were noticed in the area.

The petitioner,Adebayo Adebola of the APC approached the tribunal to challenge the victory of Olwyinka Solaja Bowale of the PDP.

Solaja,was seeking to return to the house,having been a member in the last legislature.

Elections were nullified in 67 units based on irregularities and rerun was ordered in the said areas.

It was discovered that, having cancelled a total votes of 11,084,it is substantial enough to call for rerun when the margin of victory was just 2,920.

The minority judge however said: “I find no merit in the petition and hereby upheld the result of the respondent.

However, the petition filed by APC candidate from Ijebu North East,Abayomi Fasua challenging the victory of Olujimi Otukoya of the PDP was struck out.

“The petition is hereby dismissed and the return of the winner is upheld,”the judge declared.