PDP hails A’Court’s ruling on Ondo tribunal’s verdict

Chief Olusola Oke

Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State on Sunday commended last Thursday’s ruling of the Court of Appeal,   Akure Division, which restored its name in the petition filed by its governorsip candidate, Chief Olusola Oke, before the state’s Election Petitions Tribunal.

Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Mr. Wale Ozogoro, in a statement in Akure, described the Appeal Court ruling as “a vindication of the judicial procedure and the robustness of judicial system.”

The appellate court, in one of its verdicts by Justice Habu Gumel, said the Tribunal erred in law by removing PDP’s name from the petition filed by Oke, which  challenged the declaration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko as winner of the October 20, 2012 election in the state.

Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Andovar Kaka’an, had in his ruling last month removed PDP’s name from Oke’s petition because the party’s signatory in the petition was not an official of the party, either at the state or federal level.Ozogoro’s statement read, “It gladdens the heart of the party that the ruling came at this auspicious time when the Labour Party is dwarfed of witnesses and closed its case and that of her candidate abruptly, while INEC was also bereft in her submission.”

He added, “This victory is a victory for democracy; a victory for the rule of law, that of the Peoples Democratic Party and Ondo State in general. We are convinced that justice will be done at the tribunal and our party shall be vindicated.”It will be recalled that the appelate court had last Thursday ruled that the party’s name should be included in Oke’s petition but dismissed an application brought before it by the PDP seeking its permission to present fresh evidence that could be useful to prosecute its petition.The appellate court also dismissed the appeal filed by Accord Party against the ruling of the tribunal, which struck out its petition.

The court however restored parts of the petition by Action Congress of Nigeria governorship candidate, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, for trial while it ordered the tribunal to try the petition by Congress for Progressive Change on its merit.On Akeredolu’s case, Justice Mansur Oredola ruled in his favour, three of the five grounds being sought by him against Mimiko, LP, and the Independent National Electoral Commission.On his part, Justice Uche Onyemene upheld the tribunal ruling, which struck out the petition of Olawale Ojo of the Accord Party on the grounds that the party did not instruct any counsel to file any petition before the tribunal hence it was not a party to the petition.

Onyemene said, “This appeal lacks merit and accordingly dismissed.”