The Court of Appeal in Ibadan has dismissed the appeal filed by former Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja against the victory of the incumbent governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi in the April poll and upheld a unanimous judgment delivered by the three-man election petition tribunal, which had earlier confirmed declaration of the governor as winner of the election.
The court also dismissed the appeal of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State against the election of the state governor, Mr. Ibikunle Amosun.
Ladoja, who contested on the platform of Accord Party had alleged that the election of Governor Ajimobi was in contravention of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended noting that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress was not validly elected by lawful votes cast in the election.
At the sitting of the court yesterday, the five-man panel was unanimous in its decisions confirming the earlier decision of the Tribunal that the evidence given by the principal witness of Ladoja and his party was not admissible in law.
On the election of Governor Amosun, the panel led by Justice H.M Ogunjimiju unanimously upheld the judgment of the lower tribunal which was delivered on October 23 and dismissed the appeal filed by Mr Adegboyega Isiaka of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the April poll election.
The court held that the evidence given by one of the witnesses in the petition, Benjamin Ibikunle, PW9 for the PDP candidate was not reliable.
The five-man panel also held that the appeal lacked merit and was hereby dismissed.