By Agboola Bayo
Ibadan
The Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan yesterday upheld the election of Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In its judgment, the court dismissed the appeal filed by Senator Rashidi Ladoja of Accord Party in the Oyo state governorship election against governor Ajimobi .
Dismissing Senator Ladoja’s petition, the Justice H.M Ogunjumiju led Appeal panel while delivering its judgment, declared that the appeal lacked merit and that the evidence of his principal witness Mr. Bimbo Adepoju (PW1) was inadmissible.
According to Appeal panel, “the totality of evidence presented by PW1 is an opinion” and cannot be considered because it was not that of evidence”.
The panel noted that the principal witness “is an interested party and such evidence cannot be relied upon,” citing section 68 (1) of evidence act, with reference to page pages 192,201,203 and 214 of the lower court judgment, that PW1 evidence “does not contain statement of fact” because he is not competent to give such report.
Meanwhile, The All Progressives Congress in Oyo state had told Senator Rashidi Ladoja, to forget about his dream of returning to Agodi Government House with the outcome of the April 11, 2015 polls.
APC in its reaction to the verdict of the Court of Appeal by its Director of Publicity and Strategy in Oyo state, Comrade Olawale Sadare, said it was high time Sen. Ladoja accepted the reality of his defeat at the polls and subsequent failure in various courts.