Gov Abiodun Faces Tribunal Challenge as His Witness Reveals Thugs’ Attack in Sagamu

Ilesanmi AdekanbiAugust 4, 2023

1 minute read

The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has started his defence at the state Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, the state capital. The governor is facing a petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Ladi Adebutu, who is challenging his election victory in the March 18, 2023 poll.

The PDP candidate had earlier closed his case after calling 94 witnesses and tendering over 200,000 documents as evidence against the governor. He alleged that the election was marred by non-compliance with the Electoral Act and other corrupt practices by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Abiodun and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The INEC had also closed its case without calling any witness, leaving the governor to open his defence on Friday. The governor’s counsel, Prof Taiwo Osipitan, SAN, called his first witness, Jimoh Gbadebo, who confessed to witnessing election disruption in seven out of 14 polling units in Ward 6, Sagamu, Sagamu Local Government Area of the state.

Gbadebo, who is the Ward Collation Agent for APC, said that masked political thugs invaded the polling units and destroyed the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS), ballot boxes and papers about four hours into the election. He said that the thugs were chanting “No BIVAS, No BIVAS” as they moved from one unit to another.

He added that due to the disruption of the election, the INEC ward Collation Officer recorded zero for all the parties in the election. He said he could not recognise the thugs or their sponsors.

The tribunal adjourned till Monday for further hearing of the petition.