3rd February, 2012
The Lagos State Local Government Elections Petitions Tribunal on Thursday admitted the evidence tendered by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the outcome of Ikoyi-Obalende Local Government poll.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr. Babajide Obanikoro, PDP chairmanship candidate, is challenging the result announced by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission in the October 22, 2011 chairmanship election.
Obanikoro is the son of Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro, a former chieftain of the Alliance for Democracy.
Mr. Adewale Adeniji of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was declared winner in the election.
During Thursday’s proceedings, the five-member tribunal headed by retired Justice Dolapo Akinsanya, admitted four documents tendered by the PDP as exhibits.
The admitted exhibits were two LASIEC Forms 9A and statements made by two PDP agents in the election.
Lawyers to LASIEC and the ACN, Mr. Olayinka Okedara and Mr. Osasu Isibor, had objected to the admissibility of the documents on grounds that they were “unreliable.”
One of the agents, Oyewole Bakare, told the tribunal that some persons were caught thumb-printing ballot papers at a collation centre.
The witness, led in evidence by Obanikoro’s laywer, Mr. Olalekan Ashas, said he was PDP’s representative in Ward A, Unit 014 on the day of the election. He said: “The atmosphere was peaceful at the polling unit, but when we got to the collation centre, it became tense and rough.
“Some people were later caught with thumb-printed ballot papers when the election results had not been announced.
Bakare alleged that one of those caught at his polling unit was a representative of LASIEC.
Further hearing has been adjourned to February3 to enable the PDP to call more witnesses.