Ijebu Central Federal Constituency: Appeal Court Heeds To Shote’s Request, Reverts Case To Tribunal
The Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan today (Friday) upheld the appeal filed by Barrister Taiwo Shote (a.k.a Pepe) against the decision of the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Despite protestations from Shote’s counsel, the tribunal had curiously struck out Shote’s election petition on the 27th of May, 2019, on the grounds that there was no proper application for the issuance of a pre-hearing notice, which is said to be a condition precedent to the hearing of a petition.
Dissatisfied, Shote appealed the tribunal’s decision through Mr. John Olusegun Odubela (SAN) of Ricky Tarfa & Co. to the Court of Appeal, Ibadan.
Delivering its judgment today (Friday), the appellate court found that the pre-hearing application filed by the petitioner was properly done and upheld Shote’s appeal.
Consequently, the court ordered the tribunal to hear the petition expeditiously and determine it on its merit.
Shote was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Ijebu Central Federal Constituency consisting of Ijebu-Ode/Ijebu North-East and Odogbolu local government areas.
He is challenging the declaration of Kolapo Korede Osunsanya of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the 23rd February, 2019 National Assembly Election for Ijebu Central Federal Constituency.
Shote is of the view that he won the majority of lawful votes cast at the poll and should be declared the winner of the election.
