Tribunal upholds Governor Makinde’s election

A petition filed by the Action Alliance challenging the victory of Governor Seyi Makinde in the March 18 governorship election, was on Friday, June 2, dismissed by the Gubernatorial Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The three-member panel of the court led by Justice Ejiron Emudainohwo dismissed the case after the petitioner’s lawyer, Etibo King, announced the withdrawal of the petition.

Etibo Orowo King, counsel to Babatunde Ajala, governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) said;

“My prayer is for the cancellation of the result of the election. But, on further reevaluation, we decided to discontinue the case in the interest of peace and tranquillity.”

Kunle Kalejaiye, counsel to Makinde; and Isiaka Olagunju, lawyer to the PDP, urged the tribunal to dismiss the case. Kalejaiye said;

“The petitioner asked that the case be struck out. We want the case to be dismissed. It is a petition that is dead on arrival.”

The tribunal dismissed the case and also awarded a cost of N600,000 against the AA guber candidate; N100,000 in favour of INEC and N250,000 each in favour of Makinde and the PDP respectively.