The Supreme Court on Friday affirmed the authenticity of Dapo Abiodun as the bonafide elected Governor of Ogun State in the March 18,2023 poll, putting a final end to frantic efforts of the Governorship Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ladi Adebutu to unseat him.
Penpushing reports that a five-member panel of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice John Okoro in the judgement declared that Adebutu, failed to prove allegations of non-compliance with the Electoral Act during the conduct of the 18 March, 2023 poll.
The Supreme Court in the lead judgement read by Justice Tijjani Abubakar emphasized that the appeal of Adebutu, the Governorship Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) was unmeritorious and ought to be dismissed, and thereafter upheld the election of Dapo Abiodun as Governor of Ogun State.
‘This appeal is unmeritorious and ought to be dismissed and it is hereby dismissed. The judgement of the Court is hereby affirmed,” Tijjani Abubakar, who read the lead judgement declared at the court on Friday
Penpushing further reports that it is recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had announced that Abiodun polled 276,298 votes to beat his closest challenger, Adebutu, who scored 262,383 votes.
The candidate of the opposition party, however, disagreed with the outcome of the poll, prompting him to file a petition at the Ogun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Abeokuta to challenge the result.
Penpushing also reports that Adebutu, in his quest to overturn the Abiodun’s victory, alleged, among others, that the poll was not conducted in substantial compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
The petitioner (Adebutu) contended that the election was marred by irregularities and corrupt practices, noting that over 40,000 voters from his strongholds were disenfranchised due to violence, arguing that he secured the highest number of valid votes cast at the election and, therefore, ought to have been declared the winner by electoral commission.
Penpushing reports that it is recalled that Adebutu’s petition was dismissed by the Justice Hamidu Kunaza-led three-member tribunal, affirming Abiodun’s election, but the petitioner proceeded to the Court of Appeal to challenge the decision.
The Appeal Court in its majority judgement of the three-member panel that was delivered by Justice Joseph Ikyegh, said there was no reason to overturn the judgement of the tribunal, but in a minority opinion and dissenting voice, Justice Jane Iyang directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the Certificate of Return it issued to Abiodun and, within 90 days, conduct a fresh election in some polling units in the state.
Penpushing further reports that the electoral commission arguing the case at the supreme court said the Governorship and Presidential elections were not determined by a margin of lead but by the spread of votes, in line with the provision of section 179 of the Nigerian constitution.
The Governor’s lawyer Wole Olanipekun, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), in similar vein prayed the court to dismiss the appeal and urged the court to uphold Abiodun’s victory as the validly elected Governor of Ogun State, a prayer the court upheld.
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