Posted by From JOSSY IDAM, Calabar on
Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu on Wednesday filed an appeal against the verdict of the Justice Garba Nabaruma-led Election Petitions Tribunal, which declared Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Labour Party's gubernatorial candidate as the lawful winner of the April 14, 2007 election.
Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Agagu on Wednesday filed an appeal against the verdict of the Justice Garba Nabaruma-led Election Petitions Tribunal, which declared Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Labour Party's gubernatorial candidate as the lawful winner of the April 14, 2007 election.
Agagu was represented by his deputy, Otunba Omolade Oluwateru at the State High Court premises in Akure, where he filed 185 grounds of appeal in a 156-page booklet.
Oluwateru was accompanied to the court premises by some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state led by the Chairman, Chief Tayo Dairo, the secretary, Sola Oludipe and the Director General of Agagu Campaign 2007 campaign team, Mr. Ola Oguntimehin.
In a separate appeal, the party also challenged the tribunal judgement on 185 grounds, just as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) similarly appealed the judgment on eight grounds.
The appeal booklets were received and acknowledged by the Secretary of the Tribunal, Mrs. Rashedat Rasheed.
Addressing newsmen before filing his appeal, Governor Agagu maintained that the Appeal Court would correct the injustice, which, he argued, the judgement inflicted on the people.
Agagu said, 'I am very optimistic. I believe very strongly in democracy and the rule of law. I have confidence in the judiciary that what we perceived as injustice that has been delivered by the tribunal would be corrected.'
Also the lead counsel to the governor, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said the step taken by Agagu had showed clearly that his client believed in the rule of law. He expressed optimism that justice would be done at the Appeal Court.
'Agagu has taken the path of honour as a man of peace by filing the notice of appeal to show his grievances against the decision of the tribunal delivered on the 25th of July this year. We are very sure that justice will be done at the appeal.'
'It is clear demonstration of the governor's avowed commitment to abide by the rule of law and we are sure by his action that he prefers peace and legal means to seek redress,' Fagbemi said.
He pointed out that the grounds were very convincing, adding, ' the grounds of the appeal are so many that I don't even know where to start. I don't want to go to the merit of the appeal, but I am very sure that we have cogent grounds.'
In its reaction to the appeal filed by Agagu, the Labour Party (LP) said the governor would lose again.
According to LP spokesman, Mr. Kolawole Olabisi, 'this was the best thing Agagu ought to have done when his pyrrhic victory in the April 14, 2007 election was upturned by the Justice Garba Nabaruma-led Election Petitions Tribunal. But instead of towing this line of action Agagu became cheeky, casting asinine and vitriolic attacks on the eminent jurists and the entire Judiciary whose adjudication he is now seeking.'
The LP said it was not losing sleep over the appeal, pointing out that given the landmark judgment of the tribunal, the burden of prove was on Agagu to show that the judges erred in their verdict.