Dapo Abiodun defeats Labour Party candidate at appeal court

The appeal by the Labour Party in Ogun State against the election of Dapo Abiodun as the state governor has been dismissed by a court of appeal sitting in Ibadan.

This was announced by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Kunle Somorin on Friday, August 16, 2019.

He said the court described Labour Party’s appeal as lacking in merit and outrightly frivolous.

The statement read,”Court upheld the submission of Abiodun and All Progressives Congress (APC) counsel, Barrister Wale Abeeb Ajayi, that the Governor was duly elected and calling for the invalidation of the poll that returned him could not stand legal requirements for nullification of elections.

“The LP went on appeal after losing at the tribunal for the third time in its quest to use the Court to cancel the March 9 governorship election in Ogun State.

“On July 13 when the LP went to challenge the outcome of the polls, the Tribunal in Abeokuta led by Justice Ali Halilu dismissed the case on the grounds that the tribunal had dismissed the Petition pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 46(3) of the Schedule to the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended.

“The Appeal was filed by Mrs Modupe Sanyaolu and Labour Party against the Governor, APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), seeking the leave of the Tribunal to reverse itself by re-listing the Petition.

“Wale Habeeb Ajayi, counsel for Governor Dapo Abiodun, described the verdict yesterday as “victory for democracy. The Appeal like the petition was bound to fail. It was dead on arrival.”

Governor Dapo Abiodun succeeded Ibikunle Amosun, who is now a senator representing the people of Ogun Central district at the Senate.