Ogun Tribunal rejects Adebutu’s suit against Gov Abiodun over alleged vote-buying

A motion by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Ladi Adebutu, to the Election Petition Tribunal in Abeokuta, Ogun State, seeking to overturn Governor Dapo Abiodun’s prayers establishing charges of vote buying against them was in Thursday denied.

Abiodun had made a charge of electoral fraud against the PDP and Adebutu in the state’s March 18, 2023 governorship election in a response to Adebutu’s suit.

The tribunal unanimously agreed to accept the section of Abiodun’s response to the petition that details the scope and consequences of the alleged election fraud committed by Adebutu and the PDP.

Adebutu and the PDP had contended that because there were no charges of vote buying in their petition, the governor’s reply should not have included them.

Read Also: APC slams PDP guber candidate, Adebutu, tells him to return and face vote-buying charges

In a ruling, which was delivered by a member of the panel, Justice J. B. Egele, and supported by the Chairman, Justice H N Kunaza and the other member, Justice Sannusi Shehu, the tribunal held that Abiodun was not restricted to the same issues that Adebutu and PDP raised in their petition.

The tribunal further held that in any event, vote buying is in the same family as corrupt practices, which is a ground on which Adebutu and PDP filed their petition, and accordingly dismissed the application.

Following this ruling, Abiodun is free to present evidence of vote-buying by Adebutu and PDP.

Meanwhile, the tribunal has fixed July 5 for the commencement of proper hearing of matters in the petition.

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