Oke alleges irregularities in Ondo guber election

By Dayo Johnson

Akure—THE candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last governorship election in Ondo State, Chief Olusola Oke, yesterday, opened his case before the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Akure challenging the Victory of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

Oke in his petition before the tribunal alleged that the October 20 governorship election in the state was marred with  irregularities in areas won by Dr. Mimiko.

He prayed the tribunal to nullify the result as declared by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and order fresh election in the state.

At the commencement of the matter, one of the witnesses called by Oke, Julius Elusiyan, told the tribunal that he signed the result sheet under duress.

Elusiyan, who was the agent of the party in Odigbo, said he voted after he was accredited by officials of INEC.

The witness under cross examination by Ifedayo Adedipe SAN, counsel to Governor Olusegun Mimiko, said he signed form EC8A after being pressurised to do so.

Elusiyan however claimed that some of the voters that came to the unit where he worked as agents were not accredited, while some were fully accredited.

Also another witness, Kunle Joseph from Igbara-Oke in Ifedore local government area of the state, said he voted on the day of election without being accredited.

However, contrary to what was contained in paragraph four of Joseph statement on oath where he claimed that there was no proper accreditation, he told the tribunal that there was no accreditation before the election.