Defeated Assembly Speaker Challenges Polls Defeat

Malachy Uzendu

18 May 2011

In an obvious shift from his earlier declaration that the outcome of the April 9, National Assembly election in which he lost the Abeokuta South Federal Constituency to little known Mr Segun Williams of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was acceptable to him, embattled speaker, House of Representatives, Hon Dimeji Bankole yesterday called for the nullification of the results citing alleged irregularities.

Bankole’s latest move is a complete U-turn from his earlier admittance of defeat and consequent congratulatory message to Williams immediately after the election.

Bankole in a petition filed on his behalf by the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party( PDP)at the Election Tribunal, Abeokuta, is also seeking an order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct fresh election in the Abeokuta South Federal Constituency within 21 days.

Joined as co-respondents in the petition are the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN; the Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN; and its candidate in the April 9, National Assembly election, Mr. Ogundimu Afolabi.

In the petition filed by his counsel, Messr R.A. Oluyede of TRLP law firm, Lagos, Bankole is also seeking an order barring the PPN and its candidate, Ogundimu Afolabi from participating in the fresh polls.

An inquiry at the Speaker’s office admitted the awareness of the petition but it was gathered the Speaker was indifferent to the development.

The source said “It was the party’s decision, the speaker was informed about it though but he has handed everything to God. But I think the petition was based on emerging new facts about the election. And I am of the opinion that the party has every right to do what it has done. You can liken it to the case of General Mohammadu Buhari who said he would not go to court to contest the results of the polls, but his party the CPC felt otherwise and is now in court with the PDP.” .

It was gathered had kept sealed lips on the petition, apparently not to offend the feelings of the leadership of the party who believed there were alleged irregularities in the polls.

PDP in the petition prayed for a relief that Bankole be declared winner in the contested poll, if the court refused to order fresh elections in the constituency.

Bankole should be declared as having the highest number of vote cast in the April Election to the Federal House of Representatives and be returned as duly elected and a certificate of return be issued to him’ the PDP canvassed.

In the April 9, National Assembly election, Williams polled 28, 490, to beat Bankole who got 23, 103 votes. Mr. Ogundimu Afolabi of the PPN who polled 3, 924 votes.

The petition alleged that over five thousand voters who were accredited and were waiting to cast their votes at various polling units at Abeokuta south federal constituency were unjustifiably disenfranchised and chased away because they had perceived their intention to vote for Bankole.

He claimed “Many of the disenfranchised voters reported that at a specified time during the voting process, the electoral officers indicated that the time for voting had elapsed and no more voters would be allowed to vote. In other instances voters reported that the reason given for the termination of voting was that the ballot papers were not enough.

“The voters however further reported that, after the announcement of termination of voting, was made, some other persons came to announce that those who intended to vote for the ACN candidates may come forward to vote and because they were all decided to vote for the PDP candidate,s they were not allowed”, it said.

The petition also faulted the participation of the PPN candidate Ogundimu Afolabi in the election saying as at Monday 28th of February, when submission by parties of their nominated candidates and substitution thereof closed, he was not a candidate on the platform of the PPN.

It stated that Ogundimu did not participate in the primaries of the PPN and was only substituted for the original candidate well after the time allowed by the Electoral Act and announced by INEC for such substitution has expired.

Ogundimu’s name, it was stated was smuggled into the PPN list of candidate as compiled in the office of INEC and ought to have been expunged or set aside as void in accordance to the provisions of the Electoral Act.

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