Ogun: Tribunal Admits Adebutu’s 8,000 Documents As Exhibits

The Ogun State Election Petition Tribunal has on Thursday admitted the 8,000 documents tendered by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State for the March 18 governorship polls, Ladi Adebutu.

Naija News reported on Wednesday that no fewer than 8,000 documents were tendered to the Election Tribunal sitting at the Magistrate Court, Isabo, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, against Governor Dapo Abiodun.

The said documents, which were presented to the tribunal by the Ogun State chapter of the PDP and Adebutu as exhibits, were packed in various Ghana-must-go bags.

Adebutu’s counsel, Goddy Uche (SAN), who presented the documents on his behalf, prayed the court to admit them as evidence against the state governor, Dapo Abiodun.

After listening to their arguments, the Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Hamidu Kunaza, in his ruling, gave the petitioners two days to allow the respondents to inspect the documents, and subsequently adjourned the case till Thursday, July 6.

The tribunal had given both the petitioners and the respondents Tuesday and Wednesday to scrutinise all undisputed documents and re-present same on Thursday.

Some of the documents admitted include 176-page BVAS reports; one certificate of compliance; an INEC receipt; Form EC8A – declaration of results from INEC; Form EC8D – summary of results from local governments; Form EC8Cs for the 20 LGAs; Form EC8Bs for Abeokuta North, Abeokuta South, Ado-Odo/Ota, Egbado North, Egbado South, Ewekoro, Ifo, Ijebu North, Ijebu North, Ijebu-Ode, Ikenne, Remo North, Odogbolu, Sagamu and others.

When sitting resumed on Thursday, counsel to the petitioners, Gordy Uche, informed the tribunal that the respondents had inspected the documents as ordered.

Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Remi Olatubora, confirmed that the documents were as released by the commission.

Also, counsel to Governor Abiodun, Titilola Akinlawon, as well confirmed the inspection of the documents but maintained that the second respondent, Gov Dapo Abiodun, would reserve his objection to the admissibility of the documents till the final addresses.

Similarly, counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Onyechi Ikpeazu, also said the party’s objections to some of the documents are reserved till the final addresses.

The tribunal in its ruling therefore admitted all exhibits from the bar, saying “All documents are to be admitted from the bar and objections reserved till final addresses.”