Dare Adekanmbi
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun, Honourable Ladi Adebutu, has filed a petition before the state’s Governorship Election Tribunal, seeking an order declaring him the authentic winner of the March 18 guber election in the State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Governor Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressive (APC) winner of the election with a total of 276,298 votes to beat Adebutu who scored 262,383.
Dissatisfied with the return of Governor Abiodun, the PDP candidate in company with his team of lawyers led by Chief Gordy Uche, SAN, and party chieftains, stormed the Tribunal secretariat at Isabo Magistrate Court premises in Abeokuta to formally file copies of the petition.
While Adebutu and the PDP are listed as first and second petitioners, INEC, Governor Abiodun and the APC were respectively marked first, second and third respondents in the voluminous petition.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after filing the petition on Thursday evening, Adebutu said “We are here today in continuation of our pursuit of our democratic rights because we have had elections that we truly believe we have represented the people fairly and the people have responded by voting fairly for us in an election we believe we won.
“We will continue to seek out mandate within the ambit of the law.”
Giving details of the petitions, Uche SAN said it was filed on up to “four solid grounds”, hoping that the Tribunal “will do the best.”
“We have about three senior advocates on our team and a host of many other lawyers and many of them are lawyers who are not just because they are being paid but because of the fact that they believe that the mandate was stolen and they also believe this mandate can be retrieved.
“We have up to four grounds, very solid ones, but it will be sweeter when our opponents tell you the grounds.
“Our prayers are just that the right thing is done and the man who won is given the mantle of office.”
Saturday Tribune gathered in the petition, Adebutu said he won the highest number of valid votes cast at the election and ought to be returned as the winner of the election.
Adebutu is also asking the Tribunal to set aside the certificate of return presented to Governor Abiodun by INEC and compel the electoral umpire to issue same to him as the real winner of the election.
And in the alternative, the petitioner prayed for an order of the Tribunal “directing 1st Respondent [INEC] to conduct fresh election in the 99 polling units which cut across 41 wards and 16 local government areas of Ogun where election was either not held and/or cancelled due to disruption and over-voting.
Some of the prayers read “That it may be determined and declared that the 2nd Respondent [Governor Abiodun] was not qualified to contest the governorship election in Ogun State held on the 18th March 2023.
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