Ogun Tribunal: PDP, Adebutu Present 29 Witnesses

Twenty- nine witnesses were presented to testify before the Ogun State Election Petition Tribunal on Tuesday by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate for the March 18 polls in the state, Ladi Adebutu.

Adebutu and the PDP, as gathered, presented the 29 witnesses to testify that suspected thugs allegedly attacked their various polling units.

At the resumption of the hearing on Tuesday, the petitioner was reported to have called ten witnesses, including voters, party agents, and party members.

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One of the witnesses, Rabiu Adeniyi, testified that voters were intimidated and harassed by political thugs at his polling unit, disenfranchising several voters.

In his narration, the thugs stormed his polling station with guns and other dangerous weapons to disrupt the election and drive voters away.

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Adeniyi said: “It is very painful that our votes did not count. The election at my polling unit was cancelled after APC thugs invaded our polling units and started shooting. They (the thugs) disrupted the election, and our votes were not counted at the end of the day.”

Another witness, Olusanya Yusuf Olatunji, told the court that voting at his polling unit was disrupted by suspected thugs who invaded the unit, chased voters, and carted away ballot boxes.

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It has thus far been established by the court that following the account of the various witnesses that, elections did not hold in their polling units due to violence and intimidation.

Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), O.Keshiro and counsels for the Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, and the All Progressive Congress (APC), Afolabi Fashanu (SAN) cross-examined the witnesses, as petitioners are expected to call more witnesses on Wednesday as the case continues.

Recall that the Ogun PDP and Adebutu had challenged the victory of Abiodun in the March 18 governorship polls.