Ondo Tribunal Agrees AP Not Challenging Mimiko's Election

Akure — The Ondo State election petitions tribunal sitting in Akure has agreed with the national secretariat of the Accord Party (AP) that the party did not mandate anyone to file a petition on its behalf challenging the result of the Otcober 20 gubernatorial elections in the state and hasd struck out the petition said to have been filed by the party. While delivering his consolidated ruling on the motions brought before him, Justice Kaka' an ruled out PDP on its argument that the Labour Party filed its reply out of time, and also disallowed the PDP from calling more witnesses. The Action Congress of Nigeria, (ACN), Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Congress for Progressive Change(CPC) and Accord Party(AP) petitioned the tribunal over the outcome of October 20 governorship results, which declared Dr. Olusegun Mimiko winner. On Accord Party's petition, the tribunal ruled that the party did not present governorship candidate in theOctober 20 election, and subsequently struck out the name of the petitioner, Mr. Olawale Ojo. Attempt by PDP to amend its petition through a motion was equally dismissed by the Tribunal. Olawale had earlier prayed the tribunal to nullify the declaration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko as the winner of the election on the ground that he was unlawfully excluded from participating in the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission( INEC). But the Accord Party had at the last resumed hearing of the motions, asked the tribunal to strike out its namefrom the petition saying it didnot instruct anybody to file petition on its behalf. Justice Kaka'an upheld the application of the national secretariat of AP that the party did not field candidate to contest the October 20 governorship poll.