Election tribunal decides Ajimobi's fate

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State will on Thursday (today) know his fate as the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ibadan gives judgement in the petition challenging his victory in the April election by the Peoples Democratic Party.Ajimobi, who contested the election on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria, was dragged before the tribunal by the PDP in the state on allegation of having dual-citizenship.The tribunal after considering the submissions of counsel to both parties at the last hearing of the petition announced the reservation of its judgment for an undisclosed date.The judgment was subsequently fixed for today.At the earlier sitting, the written addresses of counsel for both parties were adopted before the three-member-panel headed by Muazu Pindiga .The counsel for the petitioner, Nathaniel Oke(SAN), in adopting the written address filed September 23 and the reply by the first and second respondents, maintained that none of the respondents in the case called any witness to debunk his clients claims.He said, They did not even cross-examine our witness. Because of this, the tribunal should allow this petition and grant the relief being claimed, having discharged the minimum burden of proof by the applicable law.However, the counsel for the first(Ajimobi) and second respondent, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), said the necessary points had been sufficiently made in the written address. He added that since the petitioner showed nothing in proof of its petition, there was no issue to contend with.
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