The Ogun State Chapter of the New Nigeria Peoples Party has denied having knowledge of a purported appeal filed against the judgment of state governorship election tribunal.
The state chairman of NNPP, Comrade Olaposi Oginni while insisting the party's leadership was satisfied with the judgment of the Tribunal, described those that file an appeal as impostors.
The party chairman maintained that NNPP will never appeal a judgment they were the one that asked for it.
Recalled that the Ogun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, had last month dismissed the petition filed by the NNPP challenging the victory of Governor Dapo 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.
Weeks after the dismissal of NNPP’s suit by the Tribunal, there were reports that the party had gone to the Court of Appeal in Ibadan to challenge the judgment.
Reacting, Oginni insisted that those that filed an appeal on behalf of the party are impostors who have no legal binding to do so.
The NNPP chairman stressed that it is an effort in futility for any members to file an appeal for the party without his consent or knowledge.
He alleged that the aggrieved party's governorship candidate in the last election, Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo and some other "disgruntled elements were responsible for the appeal which has no backing from the Oginni-led leadership of the party in the state.”
He added,"It is a waste of time and even impersonation for them to go and file an appeal against a judgment they know nothing about.
"It was the Oginni-led administration that took the state governor, APC and INEC to the Tribunal over our dissatisfaction of the outcome of the last election.
"When we discovered that the suit can affect our candidate in Kano, we decided to withdraw the case not because we fear we can't win, but because we want peace in our state and we don't want what will truncate such effort.
"It came as a surprise seeing this disgruntled members of the party to go ahead and file an appeal. They will lose just like they have always lose!.
"They have tried several methods to take over the party's structure, but they have not been successful. I can tell you that this is also one of those fruitless efforts.
"We are the owner of the petition and we have the right to decide what we want to do to the petition. So, they are only wasting their time and resources, we are still going to win at the appeal.”
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