Amosun, 15 others dragged to court over Ogun 2023 House of Assembly polls

A nephew of former Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Yusuf Amosun, has been dragged to the Election Petition Tribunal alongside other 15 candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who were elected as members of the Ogun State House of Assembly on March 18.

Yusuf Amosun became a member of the House of Assembly in 2019 to represent Ewekoro Constituency, when he contested under the Allied People’s Movement (APM), a party floated by former Governor Amosun.

In the build-up to the 2023 elections, Yusuf dumped his uncle’s party and joined Governor Dapo Abiodun’s camp of the APC.

The young Amosun campaigned against the former governor’s African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Having been declared winner of the election in Ewekoro Constituency, Amosun will have the PDP to contend with at the election petition tribunal.

The Ogun PDP is challenging the elections in 16 out of the 26 constituencies in the state where its candidates lost.

News Men reports that the opposition party is alleging that the elections were characterised by non-compliance with the electoral laws, over-voting and other electoral malpractices, adding that the APC candidates did not win by lawful votes.

While citing various infractions like the disruption of polling units, violence, snatching of ballot boxes and others, the PDP prayed the tribunal to order the return of its candidates, saying they polled more lawful votes.

Aside from Ewekoro, the opposition party is challenging the House of Assembly elections in Abeokuta South II, Ado-Odo/Ota 1 and 2, Abeokuta North, Ifo II, Imeko-Afon and Ijebu Ode constituencies.

Others are Sagamu II, Ijebu North II, Obafemi-Owode, Ipokia, Odeda, Yewa North I and II as well as Yewa South constituencies.

Through their counsel, Dr Hassan Balogun, the candidates and the party filed their petitions, joining the winners, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as respondents.