2020 Guber Poll: Double Victory For Akeredolu

Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Tuesday bagged double victory from the judiciary as a Federal High Court in Akure dismissed a suit filed by seven parties challenging the outcome of last year’s governorship election in the State.

Among parties that filed the suit are Rebuild Nigeria Party (RNP); All Grassroots Alliance (AGA); Alliance of Social Democrats (ASD); and Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN. Others include: People’s Party of Nigeria (PPN); Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA); and the Restoration Party of Nigeria (RPN).

The seven parties had in the suit claimed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had illegally excluded them from participating in the Saturday, October 10, 2020 Ondo State gubernatorial election.

However, in a judgment delivered via Zoom, Justice Abdul Dogo upheld the preliminary objection filed by the 3rd defendant that the suit is stature-barred.

According to Justice Dogo, the plaintiffs filed the suits in contravention of Section 285(9) of the 1999 Constitution, which stipulated that every pre-election matter should be filed not later than 14 days from the date of the occurrence of the event, decision or action complained of in the suit.

Similarly, the Electoral Tribunal sitting in Akure also struck out the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidate, Eyitayo Jegede’s petition against Governor Akeredolu’s re-election.

The PDP and its candidate had challenged the victory of Akeredolu in the October 2020 governorship election, arguing that the governor and his deputy, Lucky Ayedatiwa were not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast at the State Governorship Election held on October 10, 2020.

In the judgment that lasted about two hours, the Tribunal chairman, Justice Abubakar Umar however struck out Jegede’s petition for lack of jurisdiction. The judgement was rescheduled Monday night to Tuesday, April 20, 2021 and held via Zoom.

Justice Umar said in his ruling that; “Issues raised therein in this petition are settled issues of internal affairs and Management of a political party which this Tribunal has no jurisdiction.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Akeredolu the winner of the last year’s governorship election having polled the highest lawful votes to defeat Jegede of the PDP and former Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

Jegede in his petition argued that Akeredolu and his deputy, Lucky Ayedatiwa were not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast at the State Governorship Election held on October 10, 2020.

But reacting to the judgment, Governor Akeredolu said the State Election Tribunal’s ruling truly reflected the position of the Law and the collective wish of the people.