The Ogun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, the state’s capital, on Friday upheld the election of Governor Ibikunle Amosun in the April 11 poll.
The tribunal dismissed the petition filed against Amosun’s victory by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Gboyega Isiaka, for want of evidence.
The three-man tribunal, headed by Justice Henry Olusiyi, held that the petitioner, Isiaka, lacked evidence to support his allegation of massive rigging and electoral malpractices in the election.
Isiaka had on April 30, this year, filed his petition before the tribunal, praying the tribunal to upturn the victory of Amosun of the All Progressives Congress.
Isiaka alleged that the votes credited to the governor by the Independent National Electoral Commission in nine out of the 20 local government areas of the state were marred by fraud, malpractices, ballot snatching, ballot stuffing and outright rigging.
He further alleged that the election was characterised by substantial non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended. Isiaka in the petition, however, urged the court to declare him as the winner of the election, having scored the highest number of valid votes cast.
But delivering judgement, Justice Olusiyi held that the claims of the petitioner were largely unsubstantiated and the proofs grossly insufficient to support his allegations. He further stated that the responsibility of proving the invalidity of the votes credited to Amosun, which rested on the petitioner, was not properly discharged.
