The Ogun State election petition tribunal recently dismissed Ladi Adebutu’s petition against Dapo Abiodun, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing technicalities. This decision has left Adebutu feeling disheartened and concerned about the state of democracy.
Adebutu believes that the tribunal’s judgment failed to consider the substantial evidence presented during the trial. Instead, they focused on trivial technicalities and the use of complex language, rather than thoroughly examining the evidence that raised serious questions about the conduct of the election.
Despite this setback, Adebutu remains committed to seeking justice and ensuring that the true nature of the irregularities and discrepancies that occurred during the election are revealed. He plans to exhaust all available legal avenues to retrieve the mandate and ensure that justice prevails.
Adebutu’s legal team presented substantial evidence during the trial, including marked ballot papers and documents obtained from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). These documents supported their claims of non-compliance, voters’ harassment and intimidation, ballot box snatching, and overvoting.
Adebutu strongly condemns the tribunal’s judgment and has instructed his legal team to appeal the decision. He is determined to continue fighting for the rights and aspirations of the people of Ogun, and he will not be deterred by this setback.
