Ogun: Why we upheld Abiodun’s election – Tribunal

The Ogun election petitions tribunal has delivered its verdict, saying that the Peoples Democratic Party’s standard bearer Ladipo Adebutu failed to prove alleged corrupt practices in the election of incumbent Governor Dapo Abiodun.

In their ruling, Justice Hamidu Kunaza and two other justices, unanimously, upheld Abiodun’s victory, while describing Adebutu’s petition against him as being “incompetent, defective, disjunctive and lack(-ing) merits.”

On Adebutu’s alleged disenfranchisement of over 40,000 voters, the tribunal similarly held that the petitioner failed to provide proofs.

“On the whole, the petitioners have not successfully proved the allegation of non-compliance with the Electoral Act and have not discharged the burden of proof,” the tribunal ruled.

The justices also said that Adebutu was unable to provide evidence showing the incumbent was tried and convicted in the United States, as alleged in his petition.

The tribunal dismissed the petition against the governor.