• About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
  • Login
Vital News
  • Frontpage
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Politics
  • National
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • More
    • Crime
    • Judiciary
    • Security
No Result
View All Result
  • Frontpage
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Politics
  • National
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • More
    • Crime
    • Judiciary
    • Security
No Result
View All Result
Vital News
No Result
View All Result
Home Judiciary

Abiodun, APC Win As Tribunal Strikes Out PDP, Adebutu’s Reply On Vote Buying Allegation

Vital News by Vital News
June 19, 2023
in Judiciary, Politics
0
Sex Workers Drag Ondo Man To Court For Paying With Fake Alert
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

 

Abeokuta – The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Monday struck out the vote buying allegation, levelled against Governor Dapo Abiodun and the All Progressives Congress (APC) by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu.

Adebutu had dragged Governor Abiodun and the APC to the tribunal challenging their declaration as the winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election in the state.

But the governor’s lawyers, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), in their defence to the petition, made weighty allegations backed up with police report, establishing that Adebutu and the PDP engaged in vote buying during the elections.

On May 22, 2023, Adebutu and the PDP filed a reply to the defence by Governor Abiodun and the APC, also levelling vote buying allegation against the ruling party.

RelatedStories

PDP To Elect New National Officers In November, Shifts National Convention To Ibadan

LPPC Approves Elevation Of 57 Lawyers To SAN Rank

Professor Yilwatda Is APC’s New National Chairman

EFCC Presents More Witnesses In Ex-Kwara Gov. Ahmed’s Alleged N5.78bln Fraud Trial

The Governor’s lawyers, represented by Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), however, filed an application, asking the Tribunal to strike out the Reply in its entirety or in the alternative, to strike out offending paragraphs from that Reply.

Osipitan, argued that the Reply filed by Adebutu and PDP contravenes paragraph 16(1) (a & b) of the Electoral Act and the rules of court pleadings.

While ruling on the matter, the Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice H.N. Kunaza, agreed with the submissions made by Prof. Osipitan

In the ruling, supported by the other two members; Hon. Justice J.B. Egele and Hon. Justice Sannusi Shehu, the Tribunal overruled Adebutu’s lawyers, led by Chief Goddy Uche (SAN), saying that the application filed by the Governor’s lawyers was not the kind of application that the Constitution requires to be determined at the end of proceedings in judgment.

Relying on relevant provisions of the Constitution, the Tribunal held that only applications that challenge the tribunal’s jurisdiction or the competence of a petition will be deferred till judgment whereas the application filed by Governor Abiodun’s lawyers was not that kind of application.

The Tribunal also held that the Reply by Adebutu and PDP was incompetent for multiple reasons.

The Tribunal identified some paragraphs which contained unnecessary and repetitive allegations, others, which contained arguments and legal conclusions (which are not allowed in replies), and some paragraphs which were an improper expansion of the petition earlier filed.

The Tribunal noted that in their petition, Adebutu and PDP alleged that Governor Abiodun and APC committed corrupt practices during the gubernatorial elections.

The Tribunal further noted that vote buying is a specie of corruption and that if PDP and Adebutu truly believed that APC engaged in vote buying, the petitioner ought to have included those allegations in their petition from the start, which they did not do.

The Tribunal noted that if the Reply filed by Adebutu and PDP was permitted, there was a risk to prejudice, surprise, or even shut out Governor Abiodun and APC on the issues raised in that Reply.

The Tribunal denounced Adebutu and the PDP for coming up with the vote-buying allegation only after APC and Governor Abiodun had done same against them.

With this backdrop, the Tribunal unanimously concluded that Governor Abiodun and APC would be prejudiced if the Reply filed by Adebutu and PDP is allowed.

The Tribunal held that when Governor Abiodun and APC filed their defence, they joined issues with Adebutu and PDP; that by joining issues, the parties fixed the dispute; and that it was improper to go outside those issues in the Reply.

The Tribunal also found that it was unnecessary to file a Reply in the circumstance, as held in several decisions of the Supreme Court and the Appeal Court.

The Reply was accordingly struck out.

With this ruling, only the allegation of vote buying made by Governor Abiodun and APC against Adebutu and the PDP would be entertained by the tribunal.

Jelili Owonikoko (SAN), represented INEC, while the APC team was led by Chief Onyeazu Ikpeazu (SAN).

It would be recalled that Adebutu and PDP leaders in Ogun State have been charged for the offence of vote buying by the Federal Government, a situation that has led to Adebutu being a fugitive to the law. (vitalnewsngr.com)

Tags: AbiodunAPCElectiontribunal
Previous Post

Kogi NUJ Felicitates Governor Bello At 48

Next Post

NDLEA Arrests 31, 675 Drug Offenders, Secures 5,147 Convictions In 29 Months

Vital News

Vital News

RelatedStories

Hardship : PDP Governors Meet In Asaba, Call On FG To Rejig Economic Policies
News

PDP To Elect New National Officers In November, Shifts National Convention To Ibadan

July 25, 2025
LPPC Shortlists 74 Lawyers For SAN Rank, Calls For Public Scrutiny
Judiciary

LPPC Approves Elevation Of 57 Lawyers To SAN Rank

July 25, 2025
Professor Yilwatda Is APC’s New National Chairman
Politics

Professor Yilwatda Is APC’s New National Chairman

July 24, 2025
EFCC Presents More Witnesses In Ex-Kwara Gov. Ahmed’s Alleged N5.78bln Fraud Trial
Judiciary

EFCC Presents More Witnesses In Ex-Kwara Gov. Ahmed’s Alleged N5.78bln Fraud Trial

July 22, 2025
Yelewata Masacre : President Tinubu To Visit Benue State June 18
Politics

2027 : Osun PDP Adopts President Tinubu, Gov. Adeleke As Candidates

July 22, 2025
Next Post
NDLEA Arrests 31, 675 Drug Offenders, Secures 5,147 Convictions In 29 Months

NDLEA Arrests 31, 675 Drug Offenders, Secures 5,147 Convictions In 29 Months

Tinubu Appoints Dele Alake, Nuhu Ribadu, 6 Others Special Advisers

Tinubu To Participate In Paris Summit On New Global Financial Pact

Tinubu Congratulates Akpabio, Abbas , Says It is time for Business of Governance

Tinubu Sacks Service Chiefs, I-GP, Customs CG, Appoints Replacements

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow Us

Recommended

AfDB plans $500million loan facility for women-led businesses

3 years ago
Atiku Promises To Return Peace To Benue, Promote Agriculture

Atiku Promises To Return Peace To Benue, Promote Agriculture

2 years ago
Edo Assembly Impeaches Philip Shaibu As Deputy Governor

Edo Assembly Impeaches Philip Shaibu As Deputy Governor

1 year ago
Kogi L-PRES Co-ordinator, Dr Bolarin Felicitates With Ododo On Guber Poll Victory, Pledges Loyalty

Gov. Ododo Lauds Nigeria Navy’s Onslaught Against Criminals In Kogi

1 year ago

Instagram

    Please install/update and activate JNews Instagram plugin.

Categories

  • Agriculture/ Water/ Mineral
  • Aviation
  • Business
  • Crime
  • Culture
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • Football
  • Foreign
  • Gender
  • Health
  • Judiciary
  • Labour
  • National
  • News
  • Oil & Gas
  • Opinion
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Power
  • Religion
  • Security
  • Sports
  • Transport
  • Uncategorized

Topics

Abiodun Abuja APC arrest Atiku Bandits Bello Benue Buhari CBN cement Court Dangote death dies drugs Economy EFCC Election elections FG gunmen Hajj INEC Kano kidnap Kill Kogi Kwara Lagos NDLEA Niger Nigeria Ododo Ogun Oyo PDP Police Power refinery rescue road Security students Tinubu
No Result
View All Result

Highlights

Bandit Attacks : Mrs Tinubu Pays Condolence Visit To Benue, Donates N1bln To Victims

Governor Ododo Presents Official Vehicles To 21 Kogi LG Chairmen

WAFCON : Six Super Eagles Stars Donate ₦24 Million To Super Falcons

WAFCON : Morocco Protest “Refereeing Injustices” To CAF Over 3-2 Final Loss To Nigeria

21 Countries In Attendance As Dangote Cement’s Sponsored Africa International Housing Show Kicks Off In Abuja

NGF Expresses, Sympathy, Solidarity With Adamawa Over Devastating Yola Floods

Trending

Ododo, Minister, Other Stakeholders Laud Kogi’s Groundbreaking Annual Media Repor
Health

Abdulrahim Thanks Governor Ododo Over Appointment as Governing Council Chairman Of Kogi College Of Nursing

by Vital News
July 30, 2025
0

Dr.Yusuf Abdulrahim has expressed appreciation to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State for appointing him the...

Your Exit Will Not In Anyway Affects Fortune Of PDP – Makinde To Atiku

US Embassy Circulates Report On How Gov. Makinde, Gombe Gov Lavish Billions On Buildings Amid Ravaging Poverty

July 30, 2025
Report Of Missing 3,907 Firearms Misleading – Police

Insecurity : Police Arrest Over 20 Bandits In Kwara

July 29, 2025
Bandit Attacks : Mrs Tinubu Pays Condolence Visit To Benue, Donates N1bln To Victims

Bandit Attacks : Mrs Tinubu Pays Condolence Visit To Benue, Donates N1bln To Victims

July 29, 2025
Governor Ododo Presents Official Vehicles To 21 Kogi LG Chairmen

Governor Ododo Presents Official Vehicles To 21 Kogi LG Chairmen

July 29, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
Vital News

Vital News is an online newspaper with a mission to uphold professional journalism by reporting and publishing only facts and figures-based news reports across Nigeria and beyond.

Recent News

  • Abdulrahim Thanks Governor Ododo Over Appointment as Governing Council Chairman Of Kogi College Of Nursing July 30, 2025
  • US Embassy Circulates Report On How Gov. Makinde, Gombe Gov Lavish Billions On Buildings Amid Ravaging Poverty July 30, 2025
  • Insecurity : Police Arrest Over 20 Bandits In Kwara July 29, 2025

Categories

  • Agriculture/ Water/ Mineral
  • Aviation
  • Business
  • Crime
  • Culture
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • Football
  • Foreign
  • Gender
  • Health
  • Judiciary
  • Labour
  • National
  • News
  • Oil & Gas
  • Opinion
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Power
  • Religion
  • Security
  • Sports
  • Transport
  • Uncategorized

© 2022 Vital News - . All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Frontpage
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Politics
  • National
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • More
    • Crime
    • Judiciary
    • Security

© 2022 Vital News - Vital News by Vital News.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In