BEVERLY HILLS, April 20, (THEWILL) – The Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has confirmed the victory of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in the October 2020 election and dismissed the petition of Barrister Eyitayo Jegede, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
In the two-hour judgement delivered virtually, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Umar Abubakar, struck out Jegede’s petition for lack of jurisdiction.
According to the tribunal, “Issues raised therein in this petition are settled issues of internal affairs and management of a political party over which this Tribunal has no Jurisdiction.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had returned Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for a second term as Governor of Ondo state.
However, Jegede and PDP approached the tribunal, asking to be declared winner of the October 10, 2020 governorship election in the state.
Chairman of the three-member tribunal, Justice Umar Abubakar, last week fixed judgement for Wednesday through a notice to all the parties.
But in another notice issued on Monday evening by the Tribunal Secretary, counsel of both the PDP and APC were said to have been duly informed on Monday evening that the ruling had been brought forward to Tuesday.
