Tribunal dismisses Ladoja’s application to invite forensic expert
THE Oyo State
Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal yesterday dismissed an application
brought by Senator Rashidi Ladoja seeking a leave to call a forensic analyst,
Dr. Babatunde Adebola, to testify before the tribunal.
Chairman of the tribunal
sitting at the Oyo State High Court, Iyaganku, Ibadan, Justice Muhammed Mayaki,
dismissed the application in a one-hour ruling.
He held that the
application was rejected because it was not presented during the pre-hearing
session, adding that no ex parte order was sought by the
petitioner to bring same after the expiration of the session.
Justice Mayaki said the
application contradicted the provision of paragraph 47 (1) of the First
Schedule of the Electoral Act 2010.
The judge described the
application as an abuse of court process, adding that the report of the
forensic analyst should have been tendered with that of the first witness, Mr.
Bimbo Adepoju, instead of bringing them piecemeal.
The forensic analyst was
the leader of the team that inspected and counted ballot papers and boxes used
for the April 11 governorship election petition.
The application also
sought invitation of one Mr. Bola Akinyemi to testify along with the forensic
analyst.
Ladoja, who was the
candidate of Accord Party in the April 11 governorship election, is challenging
the declaration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress
(APC) as the winner of the governorship election. Accord is the second
petitioner.
The petitioners also
joined APC, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr.
Rufus Akeju, and the commission as co-respondents.
Other members of the
three-man tribunal are Justices Mohammadu Karaye and J. E. Ikede.
Chief Richard Ogunwole
(SAN) represents the first and second petitioners. Mr. Olumuyiwa Aduroja (SAN)
represents Ajimobi and Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) is counsel to APC.
Yusuf Ali (SAN) is
leading a team of lawyers for the INEC and Akeju
For the full story, check The Nation newspaper.
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