The Court of Appeal, Ibadan, Oyo State,  has dismissed an appeal filed by the Ogun State gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria People's Party, Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, stressing that it has no legal force. 

Recalled that Oguntoyinbo through his lawyer, Isaac Dale Izunya of Izunya Izunya law firm had on May 22, 2023 filed an appeal to challenge the ruling of the Governorship and House of Assembly Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, in a petition brought before it by the NNPP over the omission of its name on the ballot papers used to conduct the 2023 gubernatorial election in the state.

The embattled NNPP guber candidate claimed he was appealing the ruling because the judges that heard the case at the tribunal erred in their judgment.

Izunya, informed the Court of Appeal sitting in the Ibadan Judicial Division that it was dissatisfied with the unanimous judgment by the three judges.

But the Judges of the appellate court in their ruling on Tuesday, unanimously agreed that the case brought by Oguntoyinbo and his counsel is grossly incompetent and lacks merit. 

The judges also dismissed the case in its entirety, noting that Oguntonyibo lacks the merit to file an appeal against a case he is not the petitioner. 

The Ogun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, had in April, dismissed the petition filed by the NNPP challenging the victory of Governor Abiodun of All Progressives Congress. 

The Tribunal judges in a unanimous decision also affirmed that the Ogun State Chairman of the Party, Olaposi Oginni is the original owner of the petition filed by the party, while confirming Peter Ogah as the authentic counsel of NPPP. 

The three judges unanimously agreed that Oginni has the right to withdraw the petition filed against Governor Abiodun. 
NNPP had filed a petition before the Tribunal, challenging the victory of Governor Abiodun at the March 18 election.

The party in the election petition with suit number; EPT/OG/GOV/01/2023 dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission, Governor Abiodun, and his party, APC before the Tribunal over an alleged omission of the NNPP’s name on the ballot papers used for the governorship and assembly elections held in the state. 

Oginni, however, announced the withdrawal of its petition against the Independent National Electoral Commission and the victory of the state governor, Dapo Abiodun.

The NNPP chairman at a press briefing held at the party secretariat in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital noted that the withdrawal is based on the ground that the NNPP won in Kano State, among other reasons. 

The Tribunal judges unanimously granted Oginni’s motion of notice to withdraw the petition. 

While dismissing the petition, the Tribunal stressed that the owner of the petition has the right to withdraw it at any time. 

Reacting to the recent victory, Oginni described the judgment as a testament that he remains the one in charge of the party affairs in Ogun State. 

He said, “I feel happy, I feel elated. It is the beauty of democracy, and what happened today is to tell the whole world that due process has been followed.

“Whatever we do was in the interest of our party and in moving Ogun State forward. We have no other option than to make sure the petition is dismissed so we don’t use this to affect our victory in Kano because the same ballot papers were used there.”

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Reacting to the recent victory, Oginni described the judgment as a testament that he remains the one in charge of the party affairs in Ogun State. 

He said, “I feel happy, I feel elated. It is the beauty of democracy, and what happened today is to tell the whole world that due process has been followed.

“Whatever we do was in the interest of our party and in moving Ogun State forward. We have no other option than to make sure the petition is dismissed so we don’t use this to affect our victory in Kano because the same ballot papers were used there.”

Smile.