Nigeria: Abiodun, Adebutu's Kinsmen Testify At Ogun Tribunal

Iperu-Remo in Ikenne Local Government Area is the hometown of both Governor Abiodun and Mr Adebutu.

Ladi Adebutu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday presented witnesses from Iperu-Remo in his petition against the election of Governor Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The petition is being heard by the Ogun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, the state capital.

Iperu-Remo in Ikenne Local Government Area is the hometown of both Governor Abiodun and Mr Adebutu.

After the counsel called the witnesses to the petitioner, Gordy Uche (SAN), they were cross-examined by INEC's counsel, Remi Olatubora (SAN), Mr Abiodun's counsel, Taiwo Osipitan (SAN) and Muiz Banire (SAN) who appeared for the ruling APC.

The witnesses include Abiodun Shotiwa, Oluwafunmilola Desalu, Adekoya Babatunde, Muibat Ariyo Adeola and Rafiu Akeem.

They all told the tribunal that thugs of the ruling party disrupted voting and counting of votes at their polling units during the election.

Under cross-examination, Ms Desalu said when the votes were about to be counted, masked men on motorcycles stormed her polling unit and started shooting into the air.

According to her, voters and INEC officials ran away, bringing about the cancellation of votes in the polling unit.

The witness, who claimed to be a prophetess, said over 500 voters in Unit 006, Imosan, in Ikenne Local Government, were disenfranchised by the incident.

She, however, said she did not report the incident to the police, as the event was witnessed by the police and other security agents deployed for the exercise.

On his part, Mr Akeem said the thugs asked voters who were not voting for APC to vacate the units before they eventually disrupted the exercise.

"They (thugs) came to our polling unit and said, 'If you know you're not voting for APC, you must leave here now.' That's why everyone left.

"I didn't report the matter at the police station because a police officer was on the ground, and he witnessed all the drama and disruption of the process."

The petitioners have so far called 35 witnesses out of the 120 they listed to give testimony before the tribunal.

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