Ogun Tribunal: Police, NDLEA present more evidences against Adebutu on vote buying
…Witness, Adebutu’s counsel engage in shouting match over alleged N10million loan
By Bankole Taiwo with Agency report
The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) 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.
At the resumption of proceedings of the governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Abeokuta yesterday, the evidences were tendered through the counsel to the 2nd respondent (Gov. Dapo Abiodun) Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN.
The documents include: reports from NDLEA, dated 18th March, 2023, in relation to possession of preloaded ATM cards with inscription of Mrs Caroline Adebutu, mother of the PDP governorship candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu, Police Investigation Report inpresct of bribery etc dated 10th May 2023 and updated investigation report case of bribery, conspiracy undue influence etc dated 7th June, 2023
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.
Counsel to the petitioners, Gordy Uche, SAN, 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.
He 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. He, however, reserved his objection till his final address, including the 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.
Counsel to the 2nd respondent, Wole Olanipekun , 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 WAEC result of Governor Dapo Abiodun to be original in line with paragraphs 86 & 87 of his statement of oath when cross examined by counsel to the 2nd respondent.
He also confirmed the distribution of 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 ATM cards.
The witness, while being cross examined by the counsel to the 3rd respondent, Mr Tayo Oyetibo SAN, said he saw the agents of the petitioner, Oladipupo Adebutu, openly distributing 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.
He was further asked to confirm that the petitioner ordered 200,000 units of ATM cards loaded with N10,000, on the 16 & 17th March. The total amount deployed to buy the 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.
Meanwhile, counsel to the 2nd respondent, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, formally applied to close the case of the 2nd respondent.
The tribunal, therefore, granted the prayer of the counsel to the 2nd respondent, as Interim Police Report marked as RA15 while that of the NDLEA marked as RA16. Also, the original result of the 2nd respondent submitted was accepted as an exhibit of the panel in tandem with its procedure.
The tribunal, then adjourned the case till Wednesday 9th August , 2023 for continuation of hearing.
Meanwhile, there was a mild drama at the Ogun State Election Petition Tribunal as counsel to the petitioners, Gordy Uche and a witness, Solomon Abiodun Sanyaolu engaged in a shouting match.
Sanyaolu who was the Director General of Dapo Abiodun governorship campaign committee appeared before the court on Tuesday to give evidence in support of Abiodun’s case.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu in the petition marked, EPT/OG/GOV/03/2023 are challenging the victory of Abiodun over alleged non-compliance to the Electoral Act and corrupt practices during the election.
The petitioners alleged that elections were disrupted by thugs in over 99 polling units, disenfranchising over 40,000 voters from participating in the March 18 election.
Sanyaolu while being crossed examined by Uche at the resumed hearing on Tuesday, engaged in a shouting match when he was confronted with a letter accusing him of borrowing N10million from the petitioner (Adebutu).
The witness confirmed to the Tribunal that he was a former member of the PDP and close associate of Adebutu before the March 18 election.
“You were a close associate of the petitioner (Adebutu)? I put it to you that your evidence is borne out of personal vendetta because the petitioner requested that you pay him the sum of N10million which you borrowed from him and have refused to pay back.
“Here is a letter written by the lawyer to the petitioner requesting you to pay him back the N10million loan which you took from him,” Uche said while showing a letter to the witness.
The witness while replying shouted back at Uche, saying, “I did not borrow N10million from the petitioner, I only took a N5million loan from him.”
“Have you paid the loan back? Do you have evidence here in court proving that you have paid back the loan? Your evidence is just to tarnish the image of the petitioner because he asked you for a refund of a loan you took from him,” Uche shouted back at the witness.
“I have paid back. I can provide the proof that I have paid back. I only took N5million from him and that was three years ago. Give me 10 minutes, I can provide a proof that I have paid back,” the witness replied.
