Ogun state election tribunal: Police, Drug Law Agency present more evidences against Adebutu on vote buying

The  Nigerian Police and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have released   multiple evidences against the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Oladipupo Adebutu on the allegation of vote buying.

Penpushing reports that those  evidences were tendered on Tuesday through the counsel to the 2nd respondent(Governor Dapo Abiodun) Chief Wole Olanipekun,and the documents include: reports from Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA),  dated  18th March, 2023, in relation to possession of preloaded Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards with inscription of Mrs Caroline Adebutu, mother of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu.

The documents include police Investigation report in respect of bribery dated 10th May 2023, updated  investigation report case of bribery, conspiracy undue influence  dated 7th June, 2023,while all the documents were accordingly certified and tendered, after he had earlier prayed the court for 30 minutes  stand down to enable the second respondent  tidy up some issues.

Penpushing further reports that counsel to the petitioners, Gordy Uche,in his reaction objected to all the tendered documents, he said there was earlier agreement among the parties during pre-hearing that a party seeking to tender documents must give the other side 24 hours notice before tendering the documents.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria stressed that the documents about to be tendered were never front-loaded in the petition, adding that  two  of the reports were just certified on Monday 7th, 2023.

Penpushing also reports that he however, reserved his objection till his final address, including the West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate of the 2nd respondent tendered, as he prayed the tribunal for  2-hour stand down to study the documents accordingly, which was granted by the panel.

Penpushing reports that the counsel to the 2nd respondent,  Wole Olanipekun ,a Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN), agreed with the counsel to the petitioner that a stand down was  necessary to enable them study the documents but felt that 1 hour would be enough.

The Director of All Progressives Congress, (APC’s) Governorship campaign, Apostle Solomon Sanyaolu, later appeared before the panel after resumption, in which he confirmed the West African Examination Council (WAEC) result of Governor Dapo Abiodun to be original in line with paragraphs 86 and 87 of his statement of oath when cross examined by counsel to the 2nd respondent.

Penpushing further reports that he also confirmed the distribution of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards by Adebutu during the polls, by submitting statement of account to that effect,  in line with paragraph 51 of his statement of oath, including  delivery note of the preloaded Automated Teller Machine (ATM)cards.

The witness, while being cross examined by the counsel to the 3rd respondent, Mr Tayo Oyetibo,Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN),  said he saw the agents of the petitioner, Oladipupo Adebutu,  openly distributing Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Cards which was reported to the police and necessary investigation was carried out; the report that has since been tendered before the panel and marked as RA17.

Penpushing also reports that he further  asked to confirm that the petitioner ordered 200,000 units of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards loaded with N10,000, on  the 16 and 17th March, while the total amount deployed to buy the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards  and voters totaling 2 billion, 291 million five hundred thousand Naira only, from  Account No:- 24092604, in which  Account Holder indicated Oladipupo Adebutu.

The counsel to the 2nd respondent, Chief Wole Olanipekun,Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), however, formally applied to close the case of the 2nd respondent,while the tribunal, therefore, granted the  prayer of the counsel to the 2nd respondent, as Interim police report marked as RA15 while that of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) marked as  RA16.

Penpushing reports that in similar vein, the original result of the 2nd respondent submitted was accepted as an exhibit of the panel in tandem with it’s procedure, and the tribunal then adjourned the case  till Wednesday 9th August , 2023 for continuation of hearing.

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