Ogun poll: Adebutu presents 8,000 exhibits against Governor Abiodun

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, and his party on Tuesday presented 8,000 documents as exhibits before the state election petition tribunal.

Adebutu in the petition marked, EPT/OG/GOV/03/2023 is challenging the victory of Governor Dapo Abiodun in the election over alleged non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act and electoral malpractice during the poll.

Adebutu’s counsel, Goddy Uche (SAN), who presented the documents in various “Ghana-must-go” bags, prayed the three-man panel to admit them in evidence.

He explained that the presentation of the exhibits followed the instruction of the court at the pre-hearing stage that both petitioners and respondents should present their documents for their cases.

Uche said he had served the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Abiodun and the All Progressives Congress (APC) with the 98-page schedule of documents

READ ALSO: Vote-buying: Ogun APC challenges Adebutu to submit himself for investigation

The counsel added that he had also listed all the documents to be tendered, which included INEC forms, ECAs, voters’ registers and printed IREV results before the court.

Uche, therefore, prayed the court to allow him call his witnesses for the commencement of trial.

However, counsel to INEC, Peter Olatunbora, objected to Uche’s prayers, saying the petitioners should have availed the respondents with the documents before presenting them before the panel.

Also, the governor’s counsel, Kehinde Ogunwunmiju (SAN), urged the tribunal not to admit the documents as evidence, arguing that the petitioner did not follow the laid down procedure for presenting documents before the court.

The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Hamidu Kunaza, in his ruling, gave the petitioners two days to allow the respondents to inspect the documents.

Kunaza adjourned the case till Thursday.

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