Ogun tribunal to deliver judgement Saturday

The Ogun State Election Petitions Tribunal has fixed Saturday 30th September 2023, for judgement in the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, and its governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, challenging the victory of Abiodun in the March 18 governorship election.

It was gathered that the tribunal communicated the date to the parties on Thursday.

The Ogun Tribunal Secretary, Obioma Ezenta, confirmed this in a phone call with our correspondent.

The Media Aide to the PDP governorship candidate, Afolabi Orekoya, also said that the party had been duly notified

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The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Hamidu Kunaza, had reserved the judgement shortly after the two parties adopted their written addresses on September 4, 2023.

Adebutu and PDP are challenging the return of Abiodun as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission in the March 18 governorship election.

Adopting his address, Abiodun’s counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), asked the court to dismiss the PDP petition for lacking in merit and a mere academic exercise.

He noted that the sole petitions of the petitioners were not duly signed and stamped and, therefore lacked merit to be adopted and should be stuck out.

In his counter-argument, Counsel to Adebutu, Chris Uche (SAN) argued that all documents presented by the petitioners were obtained from INEC.

Adopting his final written address, Uche urged the tribunal to declare the petitioner winner of the governorship election.

Uche equally urged the tribunal to remove a total number of 40, 871 votes from Abiodun’s polled votes and order a rerun in the 99 polling units where elections were allegedly disrupted.

“We are very happy that today we have adopted our final written addresses in support of our petition. And we have asked the court based on the overwhelming evidence which we have advised both orally and documentary.

“And we are asking the court to give judgement to the petitioners, Ladi Adebutu and PDP because we have overwhelmingly proven our case. And this case we have brought all the documents certified by INEC and even witnesses called by INEC. So we have done our bit and the matter has been adjourned for judgement at a later date.”