Posted by Saharareporters, New York on
The Justice Garba Nabaruma-led elections petitions tribunal in Ondo State has declared Dr. Olusegun Mimiko of the Labor party the winner of the April 2007 governorship election in Ondo State.
The Justice Garba Nabaruma-led elections petitions tribunal in Ondo State has declared Dr. Olusegun Mimiko of the Labor party the winner of the April 2007 governorship election in Ondo State. Saharareporters was the first to report that the elections in Ondo State would be annulled and judgment delivered in favor of the opposition candidate.
The losing candidate, Agagu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would likely move to the yet-to-be constituted Court of Appeal in Benin for the final stage of contest. The court of appeal elections petitions panel has the final say on electoral cases in Nigeria.
Legal observers told Saharareporters that the Court of Appeal wing of the Nigerian judicial system remains totally compromised.
Today's ruling will be the second time a tribunal of first appeal would declare a candidate winner in its ruling and also the eleventh gubernatorial election to be upturned by an elections petitions tribunal adjudicating on cases of elections petitions arising from the deeply flawed April 2007 general elections in Nigeria.
Reports from Channelstv.com:
The Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ondo state capital Akure, today declared the Labour Party governorship candidate Dr. Olusegun Mimiko winner of the April governorship election.
Justice Garba Nabaruma in his judgment said Dr. Mimiko scored 198,261 lawful votes against 128,669 vote of the incumbent governor Dr. Olusegun Agagu.
The Tribunal Chairman also announced the nullification of all votes from Ilaje Local Government Area the home base of Governor Agagu.
According to Justice Nabaruma Dr. Mimiko won two third of the total votes from the eighteen Local Government Areas of the state council to the governor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria Mr. Lateef Fagbemi told journalist that he is considering the option of appeal but that will come after consultation with his client, Dr. Olusegun Agagu.
It would be recalled that the Labour Party governorship candidate, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko petitioned the tribunal challenging the incumbent governor Dr. Olusegun Agagu as the winner of the 2007 election by INEC.