PDP, Adebutu Call 40 Witnesses Against Abiodun At Ogun Tribunal

A 77-year-old man, Adeniyi Ijaola, as well as banker, Ayalekhue Wesley and four others, have testified that violence and overvoting marred the March 18th governorship election in their respective polling units in Ogun state.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Ladi Adebutu is challenging the return of the incumbent governor and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dapo Abiodun as duly elected governor of the state.

He argued that Abiodun did not win the majority of the lawful votes cast at the polls.

At the resumed sitting, the counsel to the petitioner, Goddy Uche, called six more witnesses among which there was a 77-year-old man who insisted that violence largely characterised the electoral process at his polling unit at Ward 8, unit 7 in Sagamu Local Government Area of the state during the March 18th governorship election in that local government.

The septuagenarian explained that the election started at his polling unit but was cancelled after three gunmen invaded the place, chased out voters and set ballot papers and as well as ballot boxes ablaze.

“Election at my polling unit started but was cancelled when voting was disrupted. To our surprise, three people came in a motorcycle with guns and chased voters away,” he said.

On his part, a banker, who works with a microfinance bank, Mr Westley Ayalekhue in his written statement on oath alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ignored an allegation of over-voting at his polling unit.

Other witnesses include: Adedoyin Kehinde, Rukayat Adenike, Makanjuola Samson and Popoola Adekunle.

Speaking at the sideline of the tribunal, counsel to the electoral umpire, Remi Olatubora, expressed pleasure with the process of the tribunal so far.