In the wake of the Ogun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal’s judgment affirming Governor Dapo Abiodun’s victory, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Ladipupo Adebutu, are set to take their legal battle to the Court of Appeal.
Governor Abiodun and Ladipupo Adebutu, both hailing from Iperu Remo in the Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State, contested the governorship election held on March 18, 2023, under the banners of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) respectively. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Abiodun the winner of the election with 276,298 votes, while Adebutu secured 262,383 votes.
Adebutu and the PDP rejected the election results and filed a petition before the governorship election petitions tribunal, citing various irregularities, including allegations of vote-buying, voters’ disenfranchisement, harassment, ballot box-snatching, and multiple thumb-printing.
After months of proceedings, the tribunal set September 4 for the adoption of final written addresses. In his final written address, Adebutu’s counsel, Mr. Chris Uche, urged the tribunal to grant the reliefs sought by the petitioner, including the disqualification of Governor Abiodun. Uche argued that Adebutu had the majority of lawful votes when votes earned through multiple thumb-printing and other irregularities were excluded.
However, the counsel for INEC, Dr. Remi Olatubora, and the lawyers representing Governor Abiodun and the APC countered these claims, asserting that the petition lacked merit and should be dismissed.
On September 30, the tribunal, led by Justice Hamidu Kunaza, delivered its judgment, dismissing Adebutu’s petition on grounds of incompetence and inability to prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt. The tribunal held that Adebutu had not proven allegations of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, over-voting, disenfranchisement of voters, and corrupt practices during the election.
Despite the tribunal’s decision, the Ogun State PDP Chairman, Sikirulai Ogundele, rejected the judgment, describing it as disheartening and a threat to democracy. He announced the party’s intention to take the matter to the Court of Appeal.
In response, the APC referred to the PDP’s comments as the “ranting of incompetent sore losers” and urged them to accept the tribunal’s decision. The party argued that the PDP’s case was undermined by technicalities and that the judgment was sound.
While the legal battle continues at the Court of Appeal, Governor Abiodun dedicated the victory to God and the people of Ogun State, pledging to do more for the state during his second term in office.