Oyo Tribunal: Makinde, Adelabu, INEC Adopt Final Written Addresses

The final written addresses filed by Governor Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Adebayo Adelabu of the All Progressives Congress, APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC challenging Makinde’s victory in the March 9 election have been admitted by the Oyo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

Adelabu and his party, APC are challenging Makinde’s declaration as winner of the election by INEC.

Makinde polled a total of 515,621 votes to defeat Adelabu who had 357,982 votes.

The PDP and INEC are the other respondents in the petition.

While adopting the final written address, INEC’s counsel, Akinolu Kehinde, SAN urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition for being grossly unmeritorious and lacking in substance.

Kehinde noted that the petitioners erroneously put the burden of proof on INEC whereas the responsibility of proof lies on the petitioners.

He said that the petitioners complained of irregularities in 1,334 polling units and only called 38 polling unit agents out of which majority of them confirmed that the election conducted by INEC complied strictly with the Electoral Act.

Kehinde said that it was the responsibility of the petitioners to bring at least one witness from the 1,334 polling units, they complained about and urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition.

On his part, Makinde’s counsel, Dr Omyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), said that the reliefs sought by the petitioners were faulty and evidences of the other witnesses not called amount to hearsay and urged the court to dismiss the petition.

Adopting his final written address, counsel to PDP, Nathaniel Oke (SAN), urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition on the ground of inadequacy of evidence and for lacking in merit.

But the counsel to Adelabu and APC, Yusuf Alli (SAN), urged the court to hold that the petition was meritorious and that other witness not called have their statement properly laid before the tribunal.

Alli said that under the law the number of witnesses called cannot override what had been properly laid before the tribunal.

According to him, cases were not won on the quantum of witnesses called but on the quality of testimony of the witnesses called, adding that the testimony of petitioners’ witness number 62 (PW62) speaks volume.

Alli said that there were massive electoral infractions in 28 out of the 33 Local Government Areas called and a document spoke for itself after being adopted.

He said that a certified true copy of a document could be tendered by anybody and not only the maker, urging the tribunal to find merit in it.

Justice Sirajo Muhammed who is leading the three-man panel tribunal praised the counsels for their cooperation throughout the proceedings, adding that a judgment date would be communicated to them.

Adelabu called on his supporters to be calm and law-abiding and expressed optimism that victory would come their way.