The Deputy Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Adekunle Akinlade, on Saturday said the petitioners have provided enough evidence to prove their case before the Ogun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
Akinlade added that, his party and the Governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu are waiting for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to defend the allegations against it and its candidate at the governorship election Tribunal.
PDP and Adebutu had in the petition marked, EPT/OG/GOV/03/2023 are challenging the victory of Abiodun based on alleged non-compliance to the Electoral Act and corrupt practices during the election.
The petitioners insisted that Abiodun did not win majority of the lawful votes cast at the polls, alleging that elections were disrupted by thugs in over 99 polling units, disenfranchising over 40,000 voters from participating in the March 18 polls.
The petitioners had on Thursday closed their case at the Tribunal after calling 94 witnesses and tendering over 200,000 documents as evidence to prove their case.
Akinlade while reacting to a statement credited to the Publicity Secretary of APC in the State, Tunde Oladunjoye that Adebutu’s petition would fail like that of Akinlade in 2019, said APC should not to mock the 2023 petitioners based on what happened with the petition he filed against the ruling party in 2019 when he contested under the platform of the Allied People’s Movement (APM).
Oladunjoye had labelled the PDP petition, its evidence and reports as “wishy-washy”, saying the evidence PDP members were gloating about and the witnesses were procured, influenced and paid by the same party and its candidate.
But, Akinlade in a statement made made available to journalists by his media aide, Azeez Adelani in Abeokuta, described the ongoing petition as well planned, adding that it was an unfolding strategic election petition process by the Ogun State PDP.
Akinlade said, “Unfortunately for them, while the 2019 gubernatorial election petition was anchored on the personality of the 2nd Respondent and the APC because of political intrigues at the time, the PDP’s petition this time around is well thought through, planned and being executed diligently,” he said.
The former lawmaker stated that he and his supporters learnt a lot from the 2019 experience, hence “the reason why the leader of the team, Hon. Ladi Adebutu drafted clear-minded and dedicated individuals to oversee the PDP petition, including the legal team.”
He said: “My attention was drawn to some posts online yesterday where the APC were mocking us for the outcome of the 2019 governorship election and petition, but what they fail to realize in their narrow mindedness is that we learnt and shared our experience.
“The outcome of this 2023 election petition will definitely become a yardstick of how election petition documents should be sourced, packaged and presented.”
According to Akinlade, PDP stakeholders in Ogun were committed and dedicated to the sourcing and gathering of relevant INEC election materials without thinking of any pecuniary gains, stating that was not the case among APC stakeholders in Ogun who “were deceptively collecting money for the procurement of relevant INEC election materials.”
He concluded by saying, “As INEC opens its defence on the 2nd of August 2023, to be followed by APC and 2nd Respondent who both have 10 days each, the good people of Ogun State and the nation are anxiously waiting to see the magic they plan to perform. It is true that to defend an allegation of electoral malpractice, you should at least be able to produce facts or alternative evidence to support your arguments.
“We have presented more than enough facts before the tribunal. Even the blind can see the evil perpetrated by political thugs on March 18, 2023; but technology has strengthened the electoral process and the tribunal. Moreover, the new Electoral Act is clear on what noncompliance entails. Ogun people are waiting.”
