Akala closes defence at tribunal

By Dolapo Ekanade - 24.01.2008

AS the defence team representing the Oyo State governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, on a petition filed by some political parties closed on Wednesday, the Justice Sidi Bage-led state election petition tribunal has fixed February 13 for counsel for parties in the matter to bring and adopt their final address before it.

The defence had opened its case to address all allegations made by four political parties and the candidate who joined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as respondents in a petition challenging the qualification of Chief Alao-Akala to contest as governor in the April 14, 2007 election.

During cross-examination at Wednesday’s proceeding, the defence’s last witness, Mr. Onyemauche Elekwa, a lawyer with the INEC, said at the time of the election, he was a desk officer responsible for receiving data from candidates.

He admitted that the Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA) candidate, Professor Emmanuel Akinboade, though submitted his passports with his particulars to the INEC, he failed to submit a “special” passport that was actually used for printing on the ballot paper.

He said the commission did not receive any letter intimating him that a panel of inquiry had indicted the governor before April 14, 2007.

It will be recalled that an administrative panel of inquiry set up after the reinstatement of Chief Alao-Akala’s predecessor, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, indicted Chief Alao-kala of misappropriation of public funds in a contract scandal that was published in the Oyo State official gazette No 10, Volume 32 of 2007.

A high court ruling delivered by the former acting Chief Judge of the state, Justice Afolabi Adeniran, however, nullified the indictment report.