The premises of the Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court, Ibadan, the seat of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, was jam- packed with heavy security personnel manning all the two major gates leading into the venue of the tribunal.
Many lawyers in their flowing gowns and wings have seated in the Tribunal room as at 9am awaiting the three man tribunal to take their seats. As at 11am, the full session has begun, with the commencement of the reading of the judgment.
Security agents were seen at every entrance to the premises, subjecting everybody wishing to enter the venue of the tribunal to thorough screening.
Both uniformed and plain clothe security agents were spread all over the area, keeping watch, while security patrol vans were used as shield , preventing people from entering the court premises with vehicles.
At times, the policemen would chase the surging crowd of supporters distance away from the major gates leading into the premises , while the supporters would shout, in abuse against the security men .
The atmosphere had remained tensed, both outside and inside the courtroom, as the people anxiously awaited the outcome of the judgment.
Also, in the tribunal room, were heads of scores of supporters of Governor Seyi Makinde of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), the respondent, and Oloye Adebayo Adelabu of the All Progressive Congress (APC), the petitioner.
The crowd of supporters outside the tribunal, was overwhelming, with all the roads around the court complex almost rendered impassable to road users.
The tribunal had fixed today for the judgment after adopting the written addresses of the parties to the petition.
The electoral umpire, INEC which conducted the March 9 governorship election, had declared Engr Seyi Makinde of the PDP as winner, having scored 515,621 votes to defeat Adebayo Adelabu of the APC, who polled 357,982 votes.
After studying the election results, and having been dissatisfied with the conduct of the poll, Adelabu filed a petition before the tribunal, alleging irregularities in the conduct of the election.
In the petition, Adelabu listed INEC as the first respondent, while Makinde and the PDP are second and third respondents.
