Tribunal affirms elections of Ogun, Sokoto governors

The Ogun governorship petition tribunal has upheld the election of Dapo Abiodun as governor of the state.

In a unanimous decision, on Saturday, the tribunal, led by Hamidu Kunaza, held that the petition by Ladi Adebutu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was “incompetent, defective and lacking in merits.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Abiodun the winner after polling 276,298 votes, while Adebutu scored 262,38 and Biyi Otegbeye of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) came a distant third with 94,754 votes.

The PDP and Adebutu approached the tribunal, alleging that the governor did not get the majority of valid votes cast in the March 18 governorship election.

In the suit marked EPT/OG/GOV/03/2023, the petitioners accused INEC of non-compliance with the Electoral Act and corrupt practices during the election.

The petitioners also alleged that elections were disrupted by thugs in over 99 polling units, disenfranchising over 40,000 voters from participating in the election.

Adebutu sought an order nullifying Abiodun’s election and declaring him as the winner of the election.

However, the tribunal dismissed the petition.

“On the whole, the petitioners have not successfully proven the allegation of noncompliance with the electoral act and have not discharged the burden of proof,” Kunaza held.

“I uphold the election of Dapo Abiodun as the duly elected governor of Ogun State in the March 18 election.”

SOKOTO TRIBUNAL: PETITIONERS’ EXHIBITS OUT OF CONTEXT

Meanwhile, the Sokoto state governorship election petition tribunal has dismissed the petition of the PDP and its candidate, Saidu Umar, challenging the outcome of the March 18 poll.

Ahmad Aliyu, the candidate of the APC, was declared the winner of the governorship election with 453,661 votes to defeat Umar who secured 404,632 votes.

But Umar alleged that the governor and his deputy Idris Gobir,  forged the certificates they presented to INEC to aid their qualification.

The petitioners also raised the issue of electoral fraud during the election.

In the judgement on Friday, Haruna Mshelia, the tribunal chairperson, said the petitioners were unable to prove the six grounds formulated in the petition.

He said petitioners were unable to prove the allegations beyond reasonable doubt as required by law, adding that  70 per cent of exhibits presented were out of context because they relate to state assembly elections conducted on the same date.