OYO SOUTH SENATORIAL ELECTION TRIBUNAL: APC, ALLI CALL 1 DEFENCE WITNESS, CLOSE CASE... TRIBUNAL FIXES AUGUST 16 FOR ADOPTION OF ADDRESSES
OYO SOUTH SENATORIAL ELECTION TRIBUNAL: APC, ALLI CALL 1 DEFENCE WITNESS, CLOSE CASE... TRIBUNAL FIXES AUGUST 16 FOR ADOPTION OF ADDRESSES
Published by Samuel Toba-Olumide
The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its Oyo South Senatorial candidate in the February 25, 2023 National Assembly election, Chief Sarafadeen Abiodun Alli, yesterday closed their case at the ongoing Election Petition Tribunal sitting at Iyaganku, Ibadan after calling only one witness to repudiate the evidence of 32 witnesses called by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Chief Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe.
Tegbe had approached the tribunal in the petition numbered: EPT/OY/SEN/ 04/2023, claiming that the election that produced Alli ((a legal practitioner and former Secretary to the Oyo State Government- SSG), as the winner of the election, was characterized by irregularities and failed to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022. The petitioners had petitioned the APC, its candidate, as well as, the INEC, to prove their case.
Tegbe's team of counsel led by Oladipo Olasope (SAN) had on July 27, 2023 closed their case, and the Tribunal adjourned to Saturday, 29th July for the defendants to open their defence and call witnesses.
Adeboye Sobanjo, leading Wahab Ismail, and Dr. R.O. Abdulmadir, who had averred that Alli was legitimately declared winner by INEC having scored the majority of lawful votes in the election, were however unable to open the defence on Saturday owing to challenges encountered in getting their witness to court. Justice A.M. Yakubu leading K.I. Okpe and Jibtil Anaja, therefore adjourned again till today.
After tendering several INEC documents today including results declared in many units of seven local governments viz: (Ibadan North West, Ibadan South West, Ibadan North, Ibadan South East, Ido, Ibadan North East, and Ibarapa Central), which were admitted in evidence and marked as exhibits, the first and second Respondents called a witness (Akeem Sobanke, an Electrical Engineer and Polling Unit Agent for Ward 11 Unit 39) to testify. He was led in evidence by Sobanjo and cross-examined by the petitioners' counsel.
Upon the discharge of Sobanke from the witness box after his evidence- in- chief and cross examination, the tribunal and counsel to the petitioners were eagerly expecting that another witness would be called to testify, but to their utter consternation, Mr Sobanjo addressed the Tribunal saying: "My Lords, that is the case of the 1st and 2nd Respondents. We are not calling any more witnesses and so we have decided to close our case".
Mr. Oladipo Olasope (SAN) who led Y.A.Azeez and other counsel for the petitioners, immediately expressed surprise at the action, saying that they had expected a dozen or more of defence witnesses to be called to countermand the petitioners' already documented evidence.
The 3rd Respondent, (INEC) represented by Mr Osita Mbamalu also told the tribunal that the electoral body was not calling any witness. The tribunal therefore gave counsel on both sides seven days each to file their final written addresses, and two days to reply on points of law, while adjourning to August 16 for adoption of the petitioners and respondents' final written addresses.
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