Governor Dapo Abiodun Wins at Appeal Court
The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos State has upheld the victory of Dapo Abiodun, the Ogun State Governor, in the March 18 governorship election.
Recalled that the Ogun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta had on September 30, 2023, upheld Abiodun’s declaration as the winner of the March 18, governorship election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the election after scoring 276,298 votes ahead of Ladi Adebutu of the People Democratic Party (PDP) with 262,383 votes.
The appellate court in a majority judgement delivered by the duo of Justices J.S. Ikyegh and Muhammed Mustapha, dismissed the appeal brought before it by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the state, Hon. Ladi Adebutu.
The court held that the appeal lacked merit as it found no substance in it and subsequently dismissed it, affirming the earlier decision of the Tribunal without costs.
Adebutu, dissatisfied, had filed an appeal at the appellate court, challenging the judgment of the election petition tribunal.
But his Appeal was dismissed by the appellate court in a majority decision of 2 to 1. Of significance are the conclusions of the court that it is a petitioner who bears responsibility to prove that an election was marred by corrupt practices, and that Appellants did not so prove.
The Court further held that the Appellants did not prove the allegation of certificate forgery against Governor Abiodun, noting that the Tribunal did not believe the evidence of certain witnesses because of their demeanours and because of the chorused nature of their testimony.
