Ogun Tribunal Fixes Date For Judgement

The Ogun State Election Petition Tribunal is set to deliver judgement in the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Ladi Adebutu against the victory of Dapo Abiodun on Saturday.

The secretary of the Tribunal, Mrs. Ezenta Obioma confirmed this to CityMirrorNews in Abeokuta on Thursday.

Ezenta disclosed that the Tribunal, which commenced its sitting in June has fixed Saturday, 30 September for its judgement.

According to her, the three-man Tribunal, headed by Justice Hamidu Kunaza will begin delivering its judgement on the petition by 9am.

PDP and Adebutu had dragged Abiodun, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) before the Tribunal sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The petitioners are challenging the victory of Abiodun at the March 18 Governorship election in the State.

INEC had declared Abiodun winner after polling 276,298 votes, while Adebutu scored 262,38 and Biyi Otegbeye of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) came distant third with 9,4754 votes.

Adebutu in the petition is seeking an order of the court declaring him as the winner of the election.

The petitioners also prayed the court to order the INEC to conduct fresh election in 99 polling units in 41 wards which cut across 16 Local government areas of the State where elections were either not held and/or cancelled due to disruption and over-voting.

The petitioners argued their case for three weeks, calling 94 witnesses and tendering 200,000 documents before the Tribunal to prove their case.

Abiodun, who is the second respondent also closed its defence after calling a total of six witnesses, including two subpoenaed witnesses – an official of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), a staff of Zenith bank, voters and party agents.

Abiodun also tendered hundreds of documents as evidence to prove his case.