The National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, has granted the All Progressives Congress, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and APC candidate Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji six working days to present their defence in the disputed Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency by-election case.
The three-member panel, led by Justice A.M. Yakubu, made this decision after the Peoples Democratic Party closed its case on November 24, having presented 26 witnesses to challenge the outcome of the August 16 by-election that brought Ayoola-Elegbeji to the House of Representatives.
The by-election was conducted to fill the vacancy created by the death of Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga, the former Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, who passed away on January 15, 2025, after a brief illness. Onanuga, who was born on December 2, 1965, had represented the constituency since 2019 and was re-elected in 2023 before her death.
INEC declared Ayoola-Elegbeji as the winner of the by-election, announcing that she secured 41,237 votes against her closest challenger, Bola Oluwole of the PDP, who garnered 14,324 votes. The candidate of the African Democratic Congress received 289 votes. The results showed that Ayoola-Elegbeji won across all three local government areas that make up the constituency.
In Ikenne Local Government, the APC candidate polled 10,227 votes while the PDP scored 5,595 votes. At Remo North Local Government, APC secured 8,053 votes against PDP’s 992 votes. In Sagamu Local Government, the ruling party gathered 22,958 votes while the opposition recorded 7,737 votes.
However, the PDP rejected the results and approached the tribunal, alleging widespread electoral malpractices. According to documents of proceedings obtained from the tribunal, the PDP claimed that the election was disrupted in 448 out of 557 polling units across the constituency.
The party, represented by counsel Olumuyiwa Obanewa, initially listed 49 witnesses but ultimately called 26 witnesses to testify before the panel. The witnesses were cross-examined by counsels to the respondents: Olutayo Ayeni representing INEC, Taiwo Osinpitan for the APC candidate, and Remi Olatubora for the APC.
During the proceedings, witnesses presented testimonies alleging various electoral irregularities. Some witnesses claimed that hoodlums stormed polling units, disrupted the voting process, and chased voters away while security operatives allegedly failed to intervene. Others testified about alleged vote-buying activities conducted openly at polling stations.
One witness from Remo North Local Government alleged that attackers freely moved around polling areas without resistance from security personnel. Another witness, who served as a PDP polling agent in Ode-Remo, claimed that some voters were approached with cash and instructed to display their ballot papers to confirm compliance with vote-buying arrangements.
Additional witnesses recounted incidents of violence and intimidation. One witness testified about being attacked by armed individuals who confiscated mobile phones before chasing voters away from polling units. Another witness alleged that attackers ordered all non-APC voters out of polling areas before proceeding to thumb-print ballot papers.
The PDP’s prayers before the tribunal include nullifying the election results, setting aside the certificate of return issued by INEC to Ayoola-Elegbeji, and directing the electoral commission to conduct a fresh by-election for the Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency.
After closing the petitioner’s case, Obanewa urged the tribunal to carefully consider the evidence presented by the witnesses and grant all the prayers sought by the PDP.
In response, the counsels representing INEC, the APC, and Ayoola-Elegbeji requested an adjournment to enable them to prepare and present their defence. The tribunal granted their request and scheduled six consecutive days for the respondents to call their witnesses and close their respective cases.
Justice Yakubu adjourned the case to December 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13, 2025, for all respondents to present their witnesses and conclude their defence. This timeline indicates that the tribunal is moving swiftly to resolve the dispute, with all parties expected to complete their presentations within the stipulated period.
The outcome of this case will determine whether Ayoola-Elegbeji retains her seat in the House of Representatives or whether INEC will be ordered to conduct a fresh by-election in the constituency. The tribunal’s final judgment will also address the serious allegations of electoral malpractices raised by the PDP witnesses.
The by-election held on August 16, 2025, was one of several by-elections and re-run polls conducted across 14 states to fill vacant national and state legislative seats. The vacancies resulted from the deaths and resignations of lawmakers, while some re-run polls followed earlier elections that were disrupted by violence.
The Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency case highlights ongoing concerns about electoral integrity in Nigeria and the crucial role of election petition tribunals in addressing disputed results. As the respondents prepare to present their defence, stakeholders across Ogun State and beyond will be watching closely to see how the tribunal resolves the conflicting claims about what transpired during the August by-election.
