The Ogun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has upheld the victory of the State Governor, Dapo Abiodun in the March 18 election.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, had approached the tribunal to challenge Abiodun’s re-election over alleged corrupt practices and non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act.
The petitioner also argued that the governor did not score a majority vote to be announced as the winner by INEC.
Delivering an 11-hour judgment on Saturday September 30, the three-man tribunal headed by Justice Hamidu Kunaza held that the petitioner failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Reading the judgement, Kunaza held that the petitioner failed to prove the facts of their case.
“On the whole, the petitioners have not successfully proved the allegation of non-compliance with the Electoral Act (2022) and have not discharged the burden of proof,’’ he said.
On disenfranchisement of voters, the tribunal held that there was no direct evidence to prove the allegation.
On the call for the disqualification of Abiodun on allegation of criminal records, the court declared that there was no evidence that a court in the United States of America convicted Abiodun.
“I uphold the election of Dapo Abiodun as the duly elected governor of Ogun State in the March 18 election,’’Kunaza declared.
INEC had earlier declared Abiodun as the winner of the election having polled 276,298 votes to beat Adebutu who scored 262,382 votes
The court also held that Abiodun was qualified to stand as the candidate of his party and his subsequent announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the election.
