The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure has dismissed the judgment delivered by the Ondo State Election Petitions Tribunal which nullified the election of a member of the House of Representatives representing Ilaje/Ese Odo federal constituency, Kolade Akinjo, on the grounds of being ineligible to contest.
The Appeal Court delivered its judgment on Tuesday following an appeal filed by Akinjo, who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, to challenge the tribunal’s ruling.
It will be recalled that the tribunal had ruled that Akinjo was not a member of the PDP at the time of the election because his membership card was not signed by his ward chairman and secretary.
The tribunal had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a fresh poll in the constituency.
But the Appeal Court, presided over by Justice Abiyiri Shehu, faulted the tribunal judgment.
The appellate court also held that the All Progressives Congress candidate in the election, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, would have presented a good case if he had presented another card to show that Akinjo’s card was fake, adding that he was not credible enough to attest to his membership of the PDP , before the March 28 National Assembly election.
It, therefore, upheld the election of Akinjo as the duly elected representative of the people of Ilaje/Ese Odo federal constituency in the lower legislative chamber.
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