Ajimobi, Akala to file final address today

By Dolapo Ekanade - 26.02.2008

Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the governorship candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Candidate (ANPP) and the state governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala, are expected to file in their final written addresses for adoption today before the Oyo State election petition tribunal.

The panel would also be expected to give a date when judgment would be given.

For close to 10 months, the legal battle had raged on, with Ajimobi, through evidence, witnesses and arguments challenged the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that Akala won the election.

He had also claimed that some areas in Ogbomosho and Oke Ogun were disenfranchised due to alleged violence and electoral malpractices during the April 14 polls.

On Monday, January 28, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala closed his defence before the tribunal in Ibadan after calling his witnesses.

An electoral officer in Ogbomosho North had informed the tribunal that the errors found in the results of election conducted in Ogbomoso North were human and that figures were not altered.

He had also maintained that security agents were on ground to maintain peace during the polls.

The tribunal also admitted as evidence, an advertorial placed in the March 26 edition of a national newspaper by Mr. Are Abdusalam, counsel to Akala.