16th July, 2015
An election petitions tribunal sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State on Tuesday postponed ruling on a petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Eti-Osa Federal Constituency, Mr. Tony Omoteso Akala-Bakare, challenging the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Prince Jide Akinloye, in the 28 March, 2015 National Assembly election.
While adjourning till Wednesday, 22 July, 2015, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice E.I. Ikponwonba, gave absence of a member of the panel at the tribunal as reason for the postponement.
Lead counsel to the petitioner, Gboyega Erinle, Esq., however, objected to the adjournment, hinging his argument on the time frame for hearing of election petitions.
According to him, so much time had already been wasted before the tribunal was constituted and with just 80 days left, there may be no time for appeal in case the ruling does not favour his client at the tribunal.
Reacting, Akala-Bakare expressed dissatisfaction over the action of the panel and wished it stuck to the new date fixed for the ruling.
The PDP candidate had approached the tribunal over alleged forgery of PDP agents’ signatures by the APC, use of Senatorial election result sheets for House of Representatives election, voting in proxy and ballot stuffing by APC agents.
He also accused APC of intimidation of PDP agents during the election, wrong collation of election results and secret voting in palaces of some traditional rulers in the area, among other things.