…As Expert warns Rotten tomatoes can cause cancer***

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State on Tuesday closed his defence before the Osun governorship election petition tribunal, sitting at FCT High Court, Apo, Abuja.

The counsel for the governor, John Baiyeshea (SAN), told the three-man tribunal that the second respondent was closing his case.

Baiyeshea said that having reviewed the case, the second respondent found it unnecessary to call further witnesses to prove his case.

“We do not need any more witness to prove our case,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the governor only called 11 witnesses, including Mr Adelodun Rasaki, the state collation agent for the All Progressives Congress in the election.

However, the counsel to the All Progressives Congress, Mr Yomi Alihu, has told the tribunal that he would open his case on Wednesday.

The tribunal adjourned its sitting till Wednesday, February 6 for APC to open its defence.

NAN also reports that Adeleke and the Peoples Democratic Party are challenging the declaration of Oyetola as the winner of the September 22 and 27, 2018 election.

They alleged that the election was marred by massive rigging, over voting, vote buying and other forms of electoral malpractice and that it was not conducted in compliance with the law.

The PDP joined INEC, Oyetola and APC in the petition as respondents.

In the meantime, a nutritionist, Mrs Toyin Aliu at the College of Health Technology, Offa, Kwara, has said that the consumption of rotten tomatoes, popularly known as ‘esa’, could cause cancer.

Aliu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview on Tuesday in Offa that maggots infested tomatoes could cause bacterial poisoning when consumed.

”The fungi in rotten tomatoes are sources of potent mycotoxins, which can be detrimental to health.

”Rotten tomatoes can induce cancer, because once tomatoes become rotten, they will have microorganisms, mostly fungi.

“Fungi in rotten tomatoes produce mycotoxins, which are deadly and can induce cancer, and can cause immune deficiency in humans.

”Since tomatoes contain a large amount of fluid, mycotoxins diffuse rapidly in rotten tomatoes, contaminating all parts and making it bad for consumption,” Aliu said.

According to her, rotten tomatoes grow mold on their bodies and serve as abode for worms and maggots from the common housefly.

The nutritionist added that although, the rotten tomatoes were cheaper, it was better to eat healthy tomatoes than to consume potential poison.

”The effect of consuming such tomatoes is not immediate but gradual.

”So it is better to eat the one we feel is expensive that to consume the cheap one and regret later,” Aliu said.