The Ogun State Election Petitions Tribunal has scheduled the judgment day for Saturday, September 30, 2023, in response to the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu. Their petition challenges the outcome of the March 18 governorship election, where Dapo Abiodun was declared the winner.
Sources indicate that the tribunal officially communicated this date to all relevant parties on Thursday. The Secretary of the Ogun Tribunal, Obioma Ezenta, confirmed this information during a phone call with our correspondent. Afolabi Orekoya, the Media Aide to the PDP governorship candidate, also confirmed that the party had been duly notified.
The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Hamidu Kunaza, had reserved judgment shortly after both parties presented their written arguments on September 4, 2023.
In the course of the proceedings, Adebutu and the PDP contested the validity of Abiodun’s victory, as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the March 18 governorship election.
Advocating for Abiodun’s case, his counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the PDP’s petition, deeming it lacking in merit and a mere academic exercise. Olanipekun emphasized that the petitioners’ sole documents were not properly signed and stamped, thus rendering them without merit and warranting their dismissal.
In a counterargument, Chris Uche (SAN), the counsel representing Adebutu, asserted that all documents presented by the petitioners were obtained from INEC. Uche, while adopting his final written argument, implored the tribunal to declare Adebutu as the rightful winner of the governorship election. Additionally, he requested the tribunal to deduct a total of 40,871 votes from Abiodun’s tally and order a rerun in 99 polling units where election disruptions were allegedly documented.
“We are pleased to have submitted our final written arguments in support of our petition today,” Uche stated. “We have asked the court to rule in favor of the petitioners, Ladi Adebutu and the PDP, as we believe we have substantiated our case comprehensively. We have presented all documents certified by INEC, and our witnesses were called by INEC. We have fulfilled our obligations, and the matter has been adjourned for judgment at a later date.”