By Banji Ayoola
The candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the October 10 governorship election in Ondo State, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, has approached the tribunal challenging the victory of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, at the exercise on the basis of alleged massive irregularities including vote-buying and intimidation of his party supporters.
Akeredolu, the All Progressives Congress, APC candidate, was returned for a second term by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Also joined in the petition are INEC, APC and the Deputy Governor-elect, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Jegede’s lead counsel, Mr. Ifedayo Adedipe, SAN, filed the petition on his behalf alleging among others, that the election was marred by irregularities and pockets of violence and intimidation. He also faulted the process through which Akeredolu emerged as the APC candidate.
The PDP’s candidate, who had earlier raised observations on the conduct of the election based on his allegations, asked the Elections Petitions Tribunal to upturn the election.
This is coming 19 days after the formal declaration of the result, in compliance with the laws, according to Jegede, who said that with the petition’s filing, he had broken his silence on the election.
He had said in a three paragraph statement signed by him and sent to The Radiance on Saturday by his campaign Media Research Head, Mr. Kayode Fasua, that: “In the last 19 days I have been silent, today we break that silence in obedience to the provisions of our laws. We commence a challenge against the declaration and return made by INEC in respect of the Ondo State Governorship election of 10th October, 2020.
“By this process, let our people again begin to hope for a better future to the glory of God.”
The Tribunal Secretary, Mr Musa Jamilu Bako, said necessary parties would be served
While declaring Akeredolu winner of the election, INEC had said that the governor and the APC candidate, polled 292,830 votes to defeat other contestants.
The Returning Officer and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, UI, Prof Idowu Olayinka, had declared that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Eyitayo Jegede, trailed behind the winner with 195,791 votes, a difference of 97,039 votes; while the incumbent Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi of the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, scored 69,127 votes to come a distant third.
Olayinka made the declaration at about 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 12 after all the results across the state’s 18 local government areas had been collated
According to the official results announced by the commission at its headquarters in Abuja, Akeredolu won in 15 of the state’s 18 local government areas.
His main challenger, Jegede, won in the remaining three local government areas.
Altogether, 17 candidates took part in the election.
Olayinka said that 572,745 valid votes were recorded while 18,448 were rejected, and about 16,000 votes cancelled.
