THE Ekiti governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja has adjourned sine die judgement in the petition filed by people’s democratic party, PDP and its candidate, professor Olusola Kolapo.
Chairman of the Tribunal , Suleiman Belgore adjourned the tribunal immediately after the lawyers counsel in the matter presented their final addresses.
Justice Belgore who shower encomium on the lawyers involved in the matter informed them that the tribunal will communicate the judgement date to the parties forty eight hours before his delivery.
After the EKITI STATE governorship election , in July 14th, 2018 which brought governor FAYEMI to power, the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and its candidate, Prof Olusola Kolapo had filed a petition, asking the tribunal to nullify the election of governor FAYEMI on the ground that they scored majority of the lawful votes .
The tribunal started sit ting in EKITI STATE but was relocated to Abuja following interruptions of the proceedings by hooligans.
In Abuja the petition was filed on 13th of august and started sitting September 2018 in other to meet up with the mandatory60 days priscribed by the act.
At the beginning of the sitting chairman of the tribunal, Justice Suleiman Belgore, was time countious as he told the lawyers to take twenty minutes each to address the court .
Counsel for Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Charles Edosomwan took the lead and asked the tribunal to uphold the election on the ground that the electoral body conducted the election in substantial compliance with the law.
In response counsel for the petitioner Yusuf Alli asked the court to nullify the election on the ground that governor Fayemi was not qualified for the election held in july , 2018 on the ground that he has been barred from seeking for election for ten years having been indicted by justice Oyewole commission of enquiry .And justice will be served if nullified because of over voting .
ON the part of Lateef Fagbemi counsel for governor FAYEMI, urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lacking in merit. He contended that the purported indictment of FAYEMI by the commission of inquiry based on section 182 has been deleted by first altration in 2010. And all allegations against him are criminal in nature , on allegation of of vote forging no single ballot paper was tendered in evidence.
While All Progressives Congress APC, its counsel, Akin Olujinmi emphasised that his clients candidate was not lawfully indicted in law as the ten year ban was based on alleged disrespect of Fayemi to the commission by his refusal to appear before it. He also drew the attention of the court to the white paper of the commission of enquiry has been nullified by justice OATHMAN MUSA based on biased.
After the adresses, chairman of the tribunal , Justice Suleiman Belgore applaud parties’ for their corperation, diligent and adjourned Sine Die for judgement
