Abuja, March 19, 2019 (NAN) Sixteen candidates from various political parties have filed petitions at the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting at the State High Court, Iyaganku Ibadan, Oyo State, South West Nigeria, following the Feb. 23 elections.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited the venue of the sitting, on Tuesday reports that the petitions received so far included four from Senatorial and 12 from House of Representatives candidates.
Among the grounds for the petitions are unlawful exclusion by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), corrupt practices and non- compliance with electoral law.
The petitioners are praying the tribunal to nullify the elections where they were not declared winners, among other prayers.
NAN also reports that Sen. Monsurat Sumonu of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with suit no : EPT/OY/SEN/16/2019, is challenging the winner of Oyo Central Senatorial District Election, Sen. Teslim Folarin of the All Progressives Congress(APC).
Also, Chief Lukman Ilaka, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Oyo Central Senatorial District, petitioned the tribunal with suit no: EPT/OY/SEN/12/2019, against Sen. Teslim Folarin.
Mrs Mulikat Akande, PDP candidate for the Oyo North Senatorial District, filed a petition with suit no: EPT/OY/SEN/09/2019, against the winner of the election, Sen. Busari AbdulFatai.
The fourth petition in the senatorial elections was filed by the APC against Chief Kola Balogun, PDP candidate who was declared winner by INEC for the Oyo South Senatorial District.
Joined in APC’s petition are INEC and PDP.
Among others who filed petitions for the House of Representatives are: Isaac Adeboye of the Providence People’s Party, (PPP) challenging Stanley Olajide of PDP for (Ibadan North West/South West).
Ademola Omotosho of PDP, also petitioned against APC candidate, Olajide Akinremi, who won the election into the Ibadan North Federal Constituency seat.
Saheed Fijabi (Ibadan North West/South West) is challenging Mr Stanley Olajide of PDP, winner of the election, in a suit no EPT/IY/HR/08/2019.
Fijabi is claiming that Olajide was not duly elected by the majority of the lawful votes cast at the election.
The Secretary of the Tribunal, Mr Ibrahim Kala, told NAN that the tribunal was still open to receive petitions.
Kala disclosed that Justice DS Igyuse headed the 3-man tribunal to hear all petitions relating to the national assembly elections in Oyo State. (NAN)
