– Mimiko Remains Governor by Popular Mandate
ATTEMPTS by the Action Congress of Nigeria to have the Andoacar Kaka’an-led Election
Petition Tribunal in Ondo State to nullufy the October 20, 2012 gubernatorial election in the state have been dismissed by the Tribunal
Seen by most people as a mad pursuit by opposition party flagbearer, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu and his party, the dismissal of the case on Friday afternoon resulted in instant jubilation across the state .
Akeredolu had asked the tribunal the court to nullify the declaration of Gov. Olusegun Mimiko as the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission on two grounds, including his belief that Mimiko did not win the majority of votes cast in the elections.
The failed Action Congress of Nigeria candidate also alleged that the election was riddled with instances of fraud across Ondo State.
But Justice Kaka’an ruled that the petitioner had failed woefully to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt.
According to Kaka’an, evidences of the witnesses called by the petitioner were contradictory and could not be sustained.
On the issue of 2012 voters register having more names than the 2011 voters register, Kaka’an said that INEC had made available the voters register to all parties concerned a month before the election, as provided by the electoral laws.
Kaka’an said, ”The party which knew about the injection of new names in the register could not have disagreed.”
He said that this could have been a pre-election matter over which the tribunal had no jurisdiction.
“In view of these, the tribunal has dismissed the petition for lack of merit,” the judge said.