Senatorial candidates of the Accord Party in the March 28 election, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin and Chief Bisi Ilaka have filed petitions against the declaration of candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winners in election before the Election Petition Tribunal in the state.

Ten House of Representatives candidates from Accord Party, Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also beat the 21-day deadline by filling their petitions before Monday.

They are: Adegoke Adegboye (Ibadan South-West/Ibadan North-West Federal Constituency); Honourable Gbenga Adewusi (Ibadan North-East/Ibadan South-East Federal Constituency); Honourable Kamil Akinlabi of the Labour Party (Oyo East/West/Atiba/Afijio); House of Representatives leader, Honourable Mulikat Akande-Adeola and others.

Senator Lanlehin, in a statement by his aide, Taiwo Asiru, “contended that the election was riddled with fraud, forgery, ballot box stuffing, manipulation and alteration of election results in favour of the declared winner by INEC.”

The Senator, who is currently representing Oyo South Senatorial District, joined the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Ambassador Rufus Akeju, in his petition, accusing Akeju of “organising and masterminding the massive electoral manipulation in Oyo South Senatorial District by using INEC ad-hoc staff whom he (Mr. Akeju) employed and trained for the purpose.”

Lanlehin appealed to his teeming supporters and members of the Accord Party to remain calm because the mandate would soon be retrieved and the effective representation he had offered them in the last four years would continue.

The Tribunal, which is chaired by Justice J.G Abundaga, will begin siting any moment form next week and it has six months to dispense with all the petitions before it and those still coming in respect of the governorship election.