Supreme Court judgement: Prepare for rerun in 2027 – Abiodun to Adebutu

Following the Supreme Court judgement which affirmed the second term election of the Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, he has mocked the appellant, Ladi Adebutu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to prepare for another political battle against the ruling party in 2027.

Abiodun spoke with journalists in Iperu, his home town, shortly after landing from Abuja after the Supreme Court judgement on Friday.

Adebutu together with his party had dragged Abiodun before the election petition tribunal over his dissatisfaction with the outcome of the 18th March, 2023, governorship election.

Governor Abiodun was announced winner of the poll having scored a total of 276,298 votes, while Adebutu polled 262,383 votes to come second, thus trailing the winner with 13,915 votes.

The PDP candidate, however, argued that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, ought to have ordered a rerun of the poll having cancelled the election in 99 polling units with a total of over 40,000 voters surpassing the margin of 13,915 votes.

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But in a unanimous judgement, the Supreme Court rejected Adebutu and the PDP’s prayer for a rerun in the 99 polling units where elections were cancelled.

Mocking the opposition, the governor said the PDP cannot get a rerun now but in 2027 after he must have concluded his second term in office.

“We hope our opponent who has been making a lot of noise about a rerun can prepare for a rerun in 2027.

“We will now focus on sustaining our legacies, the foundation of which we laid since we assumed office in 2019.

“In the coming weeks, you will see some of the goodies that we will be unveiling for the good people of Ogun State; we remain the fastest growing economy in Nigeria, the most improved economy in Nigeria, we will continue to build on these victories.

“All attempts to distract us have failed, it has been an emotional seesaw, psychological seesaw, emotional distraction, of course physical distraction as well,” he said.

Abiodun also appreciated leaders of his party, particularly the President, Bola Tinubu, who he said, without his support he wouldn’t be standing celebrating the election victory.