The Allied People’s Movement in Ogun State, on Thursday, said it had discovered reasons to appeal the judgment of the state governorship election petitions tribunal that dismissed its petition.
The APM and its governorship candidate, Adekunle Akinlade, had filed a petition against the victory of the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Dapo Abiodun, at the March 9, 2019 election.
The acting Publicity Secretary of APM, Olumide Balogun, who spoke to journalists at a press conference in Abeokuta, said the party decided to challenge the tribunal judgment at the Appeal Court, following what it described as a “miscarriage of justice.”
Balogun said, “I am happy to confirm that the APM has decided to appeal the September 14 judgment that purportedly dismissed our petition.
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“This decision was arrived at yesterday evening (Wednesday) after a number of questionable judicial proceedings were brought to the knowledge of our party leaders and stakeholders.
“A letter by the second respondent, Prince Dapo Abiodun, dated February 8, 2019, addressed to the Registrar, High Court, No 26 of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, drawing the attention of the Ogun State governorship election tribunal chairman to the facts of his case has been discovered and prompted our legal team to dig further.”
According to Balogun, it is trite in law that a judge cannot sit on a case twice, more so when, in the first instance, he had been accused of familiarity with a party in the case.
The APM spokesman added, “He did not only hear the case in Abuja, he came to Ogun State to base his judgment on the Ogun State election on a matter he had earlier adjudicated upon.
“As a result of these instructive findings, the APM and its governorship candidate have come to the conclusion that there is a miscarriage of justice in the case we instituted on the Ogun State governorship election.
We have a duty to appeal the judgment to protect the integrity of our judicial system and restore the mandate freely given by the good people of Ogun State to our party.
