>
The Supreme Court on Wednesday affirmed
the victory of Engr. Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the duly elected Oyo State Governor in the March 9 governorship election.
Makinde had polled 515,621 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mr Adebayo Adelabu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who polled 357,982 votes.
The apex court, in a unanimous decision on Wednesday, set aside the decision of the Appeal Court who gave a conflicting verdict in its judgement.
The Appeal Court had ruled that the decision of the Oyo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which dismissed the petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Adelabu, was a miscarriage of justice.
The apex court said the appeal court’s majority judgment deserved to be set aside.
The court also held that the respondents; APC and Adelabu, were unable to prove the allegations of violence and malpractices which they claimed marred the exercise in some parts of the state.
Counsel to Makinde, Chief Wole Olanipekun(SAN),had earlier urged the court to disregard and dismiss the appeal against his client’s victory at the poll.
Olanipekun said the tribunal had handled the matter in line with existing laws, adding that the tribunal’s decision were in tandem with Supreme Court’s position on similar matters.
Olanipekun also argued that his client had defeated his opponent in the polls with over 157,000 votes and won in 28 out of 33 local governments in the state.
It would be recalled that APC and its governorship candidate had approached the election petition tribunal seeking the nullification of Makinde’s victory at the poll.
The tribunal dismissed the petition on the grounds that the petitioners failed to prove the allegations of malpractices in the election.
Dissatisfied with the outcome of the matter, the petitioners proceeded to the Court of Appeal where the governor was neither removed nor retained in office.
Makinde, thereafter, approached the apex court urging it to set aside the decision of the Appeal Court.