Ogun State Governor Abiodun’s election is upheld by the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court stated in its lead ruling, authored by Justice Tijjani Abubakar, that it could not find any grounds to overturn Governor Abiodun’s election victory as the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) nominee.
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun’s reelection was affirmed by the Supreme Court on Friday.
In a unanimous ruling, the five-member bench of the supreme court rejected the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) and its candidate Ladi Adebutu’s appeal challenging the results of the state’s March 18, 2023, gubernatorial election as being without substance.
The Supreme Court stated in its lead ruling, authored by Justice Tijjani Abubakar, that it could not find any grounds to overturn Governor Abiodun’s election victory as the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) nominee.
The Court of Appeal’s earlier decision, which dismissed the PDP and its candidate’s appeal against the election on November 22, 2023, was upheld by the supreme court.
The court ruled, “This appeal is unmeritorious and is dismissed accordingly.”
Governor Abiodun defeated PDP candidate Adebutu with a total of 276,298 votes, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC. Adebutu earned a total of 262,383 votes.
Adebutu, who was not happy with the poll results, went to the Ogun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal and argued that he was the legitimate winner of the race for governor.
He claimed, among other things, that the Electoral Act of 2022’s provisions were not substantially followed in the conduct of the election.
Adebutu said that in addition to the poll being tainted by anomalies and fraudulent activities, over 40,000 voters from his strongholds were denied the right to vote because of violence.
He informed the tribunal that since he received the most number of legitimate votes cast in the election, INEC should have proclaimed him the winner.
Justice Hamidu Kunaza, who presided over a three-person panel that declared Abiodun to be the legitimate winner of the competition, rejected Adebutu’s petition.
Similarly, on November 24, 2023, the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal maintained the tribunal’s ruling in a divided verdict by a vote of two to three.
In her minority ruling, Justice Jane Inyang ordered INEC to revoke the Certificate of Return it had given to Abiodun and, within ninety days, hold new elections in a few polling places throughout the state. The appellate court, led by Justice Joseph Ikyegh, found no reason to overturn the tribunal’s decision.
Governor Abiodun filed a cross-appeal to overturn the minority ruling that called for a new election, while Adebutu went to the Supreme Court to contest the majority decision of the appellate court.
INEC also filed a cross-appeal, pleading with the Supreme Court to uphold the election results it had declared.
