The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Wednesday opened and closed its defence in the petition before the Ogun State Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
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The petition was filed by the Ogun State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ladi Adebutu, and the Party, against Governor Dapo Abiodun and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
PDP and Adebutu in the petition marked, EPT/OG/GOV/03/2023 are challenging the victory of Abiodun over alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act.
The court, last Thursday, had adjourned till Wednesday for INEC to open its defence against Adebutu’s allegations, being the first respondent in the petition.
However, as the election court resumed on Wednesday, INEC closed its case without calling any witness.
INEC’s Counsel, Olumide Ogidan told the tribunal that the first respondent would rest its case on that of the petitioners.
“On behalf of the first respondent, we have examined the petition as well as the evidence led so far.
“My Lords, on this note, we will not be calling any witness, but we will rather rest our case on that of the petitioners,” Ogidan said while applying to close INEC’s case.
Gordy Uche, representing the petitioners; Prof Taiwo Osipitan, who appeared for Abiodun and Tayo Oyetibo, counsel APC, did not oppose INEC’s application to close its defence.
“It is their case and they are entitled to defend it the way they deemed fit,” Uche said.
Meanwhile, Osipitan urged the tribunal to give the second respondent (Abiodun) till Friday to open his case, instead of Thursday.
Osipitan said the second respondent had just served a subpoena on a party, saying the concerned party would need time to process the documents requested.
Meanwhile, the tribunal adjourned the sitting till Friday to allow Abiodun open his case.
“We meet on Friday for the second respondent to open his case,” Hamidu Kunaza, the tribunal Chairman ruled.
In his petition, Adebutu had alleged disruption of the election by thugs in over 99 polling units, disenfranchising over 40,000 voters from participating in the March 18 election.
The petitioners, through their counsel, had closed their case last Thursday after calling 94 witnesses and tendering over 200,000 documents in evidence.
Adebutu also tendered certified true copies of INEC result sheets, voters registers, printouts from the Bimodal Voters Accreditation (BVAS) machines, incident forms, video evidence, forensic reports and other documents.
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