The National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Osogbo, on Saturday, nullified the election of People’s Democratic Party, PDP lawmaker representing Ife Central, Awoyeye Jeremiah.
The nullification followed a petition filed by Mr Adejobi Johnson of the All Progressive Congress (APC) challenging INEC’s declaration of Jeremiah as duly elected on March 18.
Johnson prayed the court to nullify the election, citing failure on the part of INEC to apply the principle of margin of lead in declaring a winner at election.
The tribunal however ordered INEC to conduct fresh elections in 26 polling units in the constituency.
In the unanimous judgement of the three-man tribunal, led by Justice .V. Eboreime, it ruled that Johnson proved that INEC did not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act (2022).
Eboreime said the manual for election used to declare Jeremiah as the winner was questionable.
Speaking after the judgement, INEC’s counsel, Mr Vilba Kintai, and Mr Nurudeen Kareem, counsel to Jeremiah, said they would appeal against the judgement.
