The Ogun State Election Petitions Tribunal has set Saturday, September 30, 2023, as the date for its decision in the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, contesting the victory of Abiodun in the March 18 governorship election.
It was learned that the parties were informed of the date by the tribunal on Thursday.
This was confirmed over the phone with our correspondent by the Ogun Tribunal Secretary, Obioma Ezenta.
Afolabi Orekoya, the PDP candidate for governor, claimed to have received proper notification from the party through his media assistant.
After the two parties adopted their written addresses on September 4, 2023, the judgment was reserved by the tribunal’s chairman, Justice Hamidu Kunaza.
In the March 18 governorship election, Adebutu and the PDP are contesting Abiodun’s victory as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Adopting his points, Abiodun’s attorney Wole Olanipekun (SAN) requested that the PDP petition be dismissed because it was unjustified and merely an academic exercise.
The petitioners’ sole petitions, he pointed out, were not properly signed and stamped, so they lacked merit for adoption and should be stood out.
Chris Uche (SAN), the counsel for Adebutu, countered by claiming that INEC was the source of all the documents the petitioners had submitted.
Uche requested that the tribunal declare the petitioner the victor of the governorship election in his final written address.
Uche also requested that the tribunal order a rerun in the 99 polling places where the election was allegedly interfered with, and to subtract a total of 40, 871 votes from Abiodun’s total votes cast.
“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.”
