The National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, has compelled the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) to conduct a re-run election in two polling units in Saki West state constituency.
The tribunal gave this verdict on Thursday and enjoined INEC to conduct the re-run election within 90 days.
Media Talk Africa recalls that INEC had earlier declared Shittu Ibraheem the winner of the March 18, 2023, election in the constituency.
Ibraheem contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Julius Okedoyin, said that he was not satisfied with the result of the election.
Okedoyin approached the tribunal and filed his petition, claiming that the election was characterised by irregularities.
The tribunal, which consists of justices Jibril Anaja, A.M. Yakubu, and K.I. Okpe, while delivering its judgement on Thursday, ordered that the certificate of return issued to the APC candidate by INEC “be set aside pending any appeal to the judgement.”
According to the tribunal: “The petitioners have proved their case in the allegation of over-voting and substantial non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act. We hereby resolve the issues raised in favour of the petitioners against the respondents.
“A re-run election is hereby ordered to be conducted within 90 days in Ward 6 Unit 7 and Ward 11 Unit 19 of Saki West to determine the overall winner of the March 18, 2023 election.
“We hold that the petition is meritorious, and it succeeds. We hereby order that the Certificate of Returns issued by the 3rd Respondent to the 1st Respondent be set aside pending any appeal to this judgement.”
