Supreme Court Reserves Judgment in Ogun State Governorship Election Legal Battle

The Supreme Court has reserved judgment in the legal battle over the Ogun State governorship election between Governor Dapo Abiodun and his challenger, Oladipupo Adebutu.

Governor Abiodun, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Adebutu, who contested the March 18, 2023 election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), await the decision of the court following arguments from counsel in the appeal.

Justice John Inyang Okoro, leading a five-man panel of the Supreme Court, announced that the date for judgment would be communicated to the parties involved.

In the main appeal, Adebutu and the PDP are seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh elections in 99 polling units where elections were allegedly cancelled.

Chief Chris Uche SAN, representing the appellants, argued that the issue of election cancellation in the 99 polling units was never denied by INEC.

He maintained that Governor Abiodun and the APC were declared winners prematurely and unlawfully when fresh elections had not been conducted in those units.

Uche emphasized that the votes in the 99 polling units, totaling more than 40,000, could potentially alter the election outcome.

He urged the Supreme Court to reverse the judgments of the Ogun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, which upheld the gubernatorial election.

However, counsel to INEC, Abiodun Owonikoko SAN, urged the Court to dismiss the appeal. Similarly, Tayo Oyetibo SAN, representing the APC, argued for the dismissal of the appeal, stating that the election was conclusively concluded.

The Appeal Court, Lagos Division, had previously affirmed the re-election of Dapo Abiodun as the governor of Ogun State in a split decision on November 24, 2023.

While the majority judgment dismissed the appeal filed by the PDP and Adebutu, the minority judgment ordered INEC to conduct a fresh election within 90 days.