The lawmaker representing Oyo central Senatorial District in the Upper Legislative Chamber, Dr. Yunus Abiodun Akintunde has urged the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal to dismiss the petition filed against him by Chief Bisi Ilaka and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for lack of merit.
This is contained in the joint final written address of the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, adopted on Tuesday, 22 August, 2023 by his counsels before the lordships of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ibadan..
Akintunde, APC and INEC are the first, second and third respondent respectively in the petition filed by Ilaka and PDP. It would be recalled that Ilaka, the PDP Senatorial Candidate for Oyo Central Senatorial District in the February 25 National Assembly Elections had dragged Akintunde, APC and Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to the tribunal over his loss.
Ilaka and PDP had through their counsels, Festus Adesiyan and Juwon Omigbodun, blamed their loss in the election to corruption as well as over-voting.
Ilaka and PDP had through the counsels, called for cancellation and rerun in the affected polling units.
Akintunde in the joint written address, said the petitioner had failed to prove case of corruption against INEC and alleged over-voting in listed polling units.
“Forms EC 40 (G) produced in court was not issued by the Presiding Officer who is by law the only person who can cancel elections in a unit where there is over-voting or non-deployment of BVAS or violence, ” he said.
He urged the lordships to dismiss the petition on lack of merit, saying the petitioners have not established any fact to justify the reliefs sought.
“This petition from Mr Bisi Ilaka and PDP is frivolous. It lacks merit and should be dismissed in the interest of justice,” Akintunde said.
The counsels to the first and second respondents were Kolawole Eleja, SAN; Mr Kazeem Gbadamosi, SAN, while the third respondent (INEC) was represented by I. A Yusuf.
