The Supreme Court on Friday affirmed the March 18, 2023 electoral victory of Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress, as Governor of Ogun state.
Justice Inyang Okoro led the 5-man panel of the Supreme Court, while the lead judgment was delivered by Justice Tijani Abubakar.
Justice Abubakar held that the appeal “is unmeritorious and deserved to be dismissed, and it is hereby dismissed accordingly”.
The apex court affirmed separate judgments of the lower courts which had dismissed Adebutu’s petition for being grossly incompetent.
“Parties to bear their respective costs, Justice Abubakar held.
The unanimous judgment was on the appeal 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 Abiodun as winner of the election.
Specifically, Adebutu had challenged Abiodun’s re-election on the ground that the Electoral Act, 2022 was not adhered to, citing corrupt practices and issue of non-qualification.
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.
Specifically, 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.
