The Supreme Court on Friday affirmed Dapo Abiodun as duly elected governor of Ogun State in the March 2023 governorship elections.
Justice Tijjani Abubakar who delivered the judgment dismissed the appeals against Abiodun.
The appeal was filled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and it’s candidate in the March 18, governorship election, Ladi Adebutu.
Adebutu’s appeal is seeking the nullification of declaration of Dapo Abiodun as winner of the election.
Specifically, he is challenging Abiodun’s re-election on the ground that the Electoral Act, 2022 was not adhered to, citing corrupt practices and issue of non-qualification.
PDP and Adebutu want the Supreme Court to set aside and dismiss the judgement of the Court of Appeal, Lagos, which had on November 23, affirmed the decision of the Tribunal in upholding Adiodun’s victory.
Recall that two Judges of the court below had dismissed the appeal filed by Adebutu for lacking in merit, while Justice Jane Esienanwan Inyang saw merit in the petition and thereby ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the certificate of return presented to Abiodun and conduct another election in 99 polling units where elections were disrupted.
The appellant said that INEC ought to have conducted fresh elections in 99 polling units where elections were cancelled and not declared a winner.
He said the return of the governor by INEC was unlawful and the election was wrongly concluded because corrupt practices were allegedly manifest during the March 18, governorship poll.
INEC had declared Abiodun winner of the governorship election after polling 276,298 votes to defeat his closest rival Adebutu, who polled 262,383 votes.
Ogun APC lauds Supreme Court verdict, congratulates Abiodun
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun has lauded the judgment of the Supreme Court, affirming Gov. Dapo Abiodun as governor of the state.
The party described Abiodun’s win as long awaited judgment.
Mr Tunde Oladunjoye, the State APC Publicity Secretary, made this known in a statement in Abeokuta on Friday.
Oladunjoye noted that the judgment served the course of justice.
He quoted the party Chairman, Yemi Sanusi , as congratulating the governor and his Deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele on the landmark judgment by the apex court.
“We salute the incorruptible and courageous justices of the Supreme Court for upholding the concurrent verdicts of the lower courts. They have shown that truly, justice lies with the judiciary.
“We also want to congratulate our gentleman and hardworking governor and his deputy, on this sweet landmark judgment. It has been long in coming but well-deserved.
“Now that the matter has been finally laid to rest, we urge our amiable governor and his team to increase the tempo of their transformational governance in our dear state.
“And we again, for the umpteenth time, urge the losers to purge themselves of their illusions and join hands with Abiodun to take our dear state to greater heights.
” They should stop the politics of bitterness and offer constructive criticisms and ideas on how to make our state a better place for all.
“We also wish to congratulate the good people of Ogun for their steadfastness and support for the APC-led administration in spite of the needless distractions and antics of the opposition,” he said.
