The Lagos State Elections Petitions Tribunal in Ikeja on Friday upheld the election of Solomon Adeola, alias Yayi, as the duly elected senator to represent Lagos West Senatorial District in the March 2015 polls.
This followed the dismissal of the petition brought before it by Segun Adewale, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the election.
Adewale had filed a petition challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission’s declaration of Adeola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the March 28 senatorial election.
He had urged the tribunal to nullify the declaration by INEC of Adeola as the winner of the poll.
Adewale had filed his petition based on three grounds: that Adeola at the time of the election was not eligible and validly nominated by the APC and that unlawful and invalid votes were cast during the polls.
He also alleged that the elections conducted in Ikeja, Badagry, Mushin and Agege were filled with corrupt practices and did not comply with the Electoral Act 2010.
The three-man tribunal, headed by Justice Sylvanus Oriji, said Adewale failed to prove his allegation of electoral fraud.
It held that the petitioner had failed to prove that the election was marred with corrupt practices or failed to comply with the provision of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.
The Tribunal ruled: “The petitioner did not back his claims with the fact which would have helped the tribunal.
“The evidence of the only prosecution witness was devoid of any meaning and there were no facts to support paragraph one of the petition.
“This petition is hereby dismissed.”
The tribunal ordered Adewale to pay N20,000 as costs to the respondents.
