Adebutu Vs Abiodun : Ogun Tribunal Fixes Saturday For Judgement

The Ogun State Election Petition Tribunal has Fixed Saturday, September 30, 2023 for judgement in the petition filed by the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and its governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu challenging the victory of governor Dapo Abiodun in the March 18 governorship election.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the Tribunal communicated the date to the parties on Thursday.

Also, the Media Aide to the Governroship candidate of PDP, Afolabi Orekoya confirmed the date.

The Tribunal had reserved the judgement shortly after the two parties have adopted their writen addresses on September 4,2023.

Governor Abiodun and the All Progressives Congress, APC, had urged the State Election Petition Tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by Adebutu and his party against the election held on March 18, 2023 in the state.

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Adebutu had approached the tribunal to challenge the declaration of Abiodun as the winner of the governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,saying that the election was marred with corrupt practices and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

In their separate submissions, counsels to the 1st respondent (INEC), Mr Remi Olatubora, SAN, 2nd (Dapo Abiodun), Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, and the 3rd (APC), Mr Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, told the tribunal that the petitioners failed to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. Counsel to INEC, Olatubora, urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition for being unmerited and a waste of the tribunal’s precious time.

Counsel to Dapo Abiodun, Chief Olanipekun, in his final address, described Adebutu’s petition as a mere academic exercise.

However, in his counter-argument, Counsel to Adebutu, Chris Uche, SAN, told the tribunal that all documents presented by the petitioners were obtained from INEC.

The Chairman of the three-man tribunal, Justice Hamidu Kunaza, told the counsels that the final day of the judgment would be communicated to all the parties.

• Yusuf Oketola