Tribunal: Adeyeye appeals against Olujimi’s victory

Wole Balogun, Ado-Ekiti

The battle for the Ekiti South Senatorial seat has shifted to the Appeal Court as Dayo Adeyeye has appealed  the declaration of the former occupant Biodun Olujimi as poll winner.

Adeyeye filed a 19-ground appeal against the judgment of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal which nullified his victory and declared Olujimi, winner of poll held on February 23.

The APC candidate also assembled a team of lawyers led by Mr. Dayo Akinlaja (SAN) to reclaim his mandate at the Appeal Court.

In the Notice of Appeal filed on Monday at the Ado-Ekiti Division of the Court of Appeal, the chairman of Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs is seeking two reliefs in his bid to upturn Olujimi’s victory at the tribunal.

He prayed the appellate court “to allow the appeal and set aside the declaration and return of Olujimi.”

While Adeyeye ran on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Olujimi, the immediate past Senate Minority Leader sought re-election on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

The Senate spokesman urged the Court of Appeal to affirm his declaration and return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the senatorial poll held in the district on February 23.

Respondents in the appeal are: Olujimi, PDP, INEC and APC.

The three-member panel of the tribunal led by Justice D.D. Adeck, in a judgment delivered on September 10, ordered INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return given to Adeyeye and issue a fresh one to Olujimi.