The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the October 2020 governorship election in Ondo State, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, and his party, on Wednesday, closed their cases at the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in the state.
Jegede is challenging the outcome of the election in which Governor Rotimi Akeredolu was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
One of the grounds in the Jegede’s petition was that Akeredolu was not eligible to contest the election.
The PDP and Jegede had initially listed 400 witnesses and other exhibits before the tribunal while they had requested for additional nine days to defend their case before the court.
However, at the proceeding on Wednesday, the counsel to the petitioners, Mr Onyechi Ipeazu, said the petitioners were no longer interested in calling other 399 witnessed and thereby closed their case.
Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mr Charles Edosomwan, asked the court for more time to further study the petitions before they opening defence, while counsels to the All Progressives Congress and Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, Mr Lateef Fagbemi and Akin Olujimi respectively, did not oppose the prayer of the INEC’s counsel.
The tribunal has adjourned further hearing till Tuesday, January 19, 2021, to enable the first respondent to open its evidence in rebuttal.
