By Abiodun Lawal
The Ogun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting at Abeokuta upheld the election of Gov. Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday.
The three-man tribunal headed by Justice Hamidu Kunaza held that Abiodun was duly elected at the March 18 election.
It pronounced the verdict in a petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Mr Ladi Adebutu, seeking the nullification of Gov. Abiodun.
Delivering the judgment over a period of 11 hours, the tribunal held that evidence before it showed that the petition lacked merit.
The judges held that the petitioners failed to prove their allegations of non-compliance with electoral guidelines, over-voting, disenfranchisement of voters and corrupt practices during the poll beyond reasonable doubt.
Reading the judgment, Kunaza held that the petitioner failed to prove the facts of their case.
“On the whole, the petitioners have not successfully proved the allegation of non-compliance with the Electoral Act (2022) and have not discharged the burden of proof,’’ he said.
On disenfranchisement of voters, the tribunal held that there was no direct evidence to prove the allegation.
On the call for the disqualification of Abiodun on allegation of criminal records, the court declared that there was no evidence that a court in the United States of America convicted Abiodun.
“I uphold the election of Dapo Abiodun as the duly elected governor of Ogun State in the March 18 election,’’Kunaza declared.
INEC had earlier declared Abiodun as the winner of the election having polled 276,298 votes to beat Adebutu who scored 262,382 votes. (NAN)
