Ogun: Akinlade files 20 grounds of appeal against Abiodun’s victory

The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) governorship candidate in March 9 election in Ogun State, Adekunle Akinlade yesterday formally filed 20 grounds of appeal against the Election Petitions Tribunal judgement which validated Governor Dapo Abiodun’s election.

Justice Yusuf Halilu - led panel had on September 14 dismissed the petition filed by Akinlade and his party over failure to prove the allegations.

But in the 26 pages notice of appeal made available to newsmen in Abeokuta the appellants alleged that the tribunal made “a volteface in several grounds upon which the case was decided and thereby occasioning miscarriage of justice.”

Akinlade and his party prayed the court to set aside tribunal judgment, saying it was not based on the issues canvassed by the petitioners, especially in relation to the respondent’s academic qualifications.

The notice of appeal also accused the trial judges to have denied the APM and Akinlade fair with their judgment at the state tribunal.

Part of the notice read,“The learned trial judges of the lower Tribunal erred in law, contradicted and misdirected themselves, when having found at page 29 and 30 of the ruling in respect of the 2nd respondent’s preliminary objection.

“The learned trial judges of the lower Tribunal erred in law and thereby denied the appellants the right to fair hearing, when having made positive findings at page 29 and 30 of the ruling in favour of the appellants, they completely derogated from same at page 32 and 33 of the ruling, in consequence of which the appellants were unable to take benefit of the favourable findings.”