The Ogun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, yesterday affirmed the victory of Senator Ibikunle Amosun as the elected governor of Ogun State in the April 11, 2015 election.
The tribunal also dismissed the petitions by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Nasir Isiaka, for lack of merit, on balance of probability and failure to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt.
Isiaka had challenged the election which returned Amosun of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the governor in the April election.
Isiaka had said the election was fraught with irregularities and electoral malpractices in nine local government areas of the state, namely Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Odeda, Ewekoro, Ifo, Obafemi-Owode, Ado-Odo/Ota, Sagamu and Remo North.
He had claimed that the election was marred by electoral malpractices such as rigging, snatching of ballot of boxes, thuggery, violence, declaration of false results, falsification and forgery of result sheets, importation of voters from a foreign location, stuffing of ballot boxes with ballot papers, misuse of card readers and permanent voters cards.
Isiaka also stressed that the conduct of the election was characterised by acts of bias, nepotism and favouritism to the benefit of Amosun.
He also alleged that the governorship election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was characterised by non-compliance with the provisions of Electoral Act 2010 as amended.
Delivering the judgement which lasted four hours and twenty minutes, the tribunal said Isiaka failed to prove his case against Amosun.
The chairman of the three-man panel, Justice Henry Olusiyi, said the petition was dismissed on lack of merit as the petitioners failed to prove their case against the respondents beyond reasonable doubt.
Olusiyi added that the petitioners presented nine witnesses in the process of the trial while the 1st respondent called four witnesses and 2nd (APC) and 3rd (INEC) respondents with no witness.
He averred that all witnesses called by the petitioners (PW1-PW7) failed to substantiate their claims as contained in their statement of oaths.
Delivering judgement, the tribunal said: “Though, the petitioners claimed substantial irregularities in nine local governments amounting to 1,672 polling units, they were only able to prove a few.
“The petitioners have failed to prove their case against the respondent either in the balance of probability or beyond reasonable doubt.
“The petition filed by the petitioner on the 30th of April is dismissed. The election of the respondent is hereby affirmed.”
In his remarks, Governor Amosun described his victory as “victory for the good people of the state.”
He said the legal victory was a further attestation of the fact that his election was truly made possible by the good people of the state.
“If the trial were to be conducted 20 times over, I would come out victorious because I was voted for massively by the people of the state,” he stated.
Amosun also commended the judiciary and members of the Olusiyi-led panel “for the professional manner in which they carried out their duties without fear or favour.”
On his part, Isiaka said: “I am appealing to all and sundry to respect the decision of the court. Though the verdict did not go the way that would have gladden the heart of many people in the state, but as law abiding and responsible citizens, we are duty bound to respect the verdict.
“We shall carefully study the judgement as soon as possible and will make public our next line of action. But my appeal goes to all our supporters and those that might have been disappointed with the judgement to remain calm.
“We still have many options available to us but that decision will be made very soon.”