Supreme Court Dismisses Adebutu Appeal, Confirms Abiodun as Winner Of 2023 Ogun Governorship Poll

The Supreme Court has upheld the election Of Governor Dapo Abiodun in the Ogun state March 18,2023 Governorship Poll.

The five-member panel of justices on Friday morning, dismissed the appeal filed by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the poll, Honorable Ladi Adebutu against the election of Abiodun as winner of the poll.

The judgement has ended the marathon litigations over the poll.

Justice Tijanni Abubakar, who reads the unanimous judgement of the panel ruled that Adebutu failed to prove the allegations in his appeal.

The panel said all the issues that Adebutu raised in his appeal lack merit.

Among others, the apex court ruled that Adebutu’s prayer that a fresh election should be re-run in 99 polling units lack merit, because it was not backed by relevant documents.

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The court said the documents presented to back up the claim had no heading, signature or date.

Delivering judgement on the appeal, the Court of Appeal, in its majority judgement of the three-member panel that was delivered by Joseph Ikyegh, said there was no reason to overturn the judgement of the tribunal.

But in her dissenting, minority opinion, Jane Inyang directed INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return it issued to Mr Abiodun and, within 90 days, conduct a fresh election in some polling units in the state.

Arguing the case at the Supreme Court, the electoral commission said the governorship and presidential elections were not determined by a margin of lead but by the spread of votes, in line with the provision of section 179 of the Nigerian constitution.

Similarly, Mr Abiodun’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), prayed the court to dismiss the appeal.

He urged the court to uphold Mr Abiodun’s victory as the validly elected governor of Ogun State, a prayer the court upheld on Friday.