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The legal battle over the Ogun State governorship election between Governor Dapo Abiodun and his challenger, Oladipupo Adebutu, remains intense as the Supreme Court reserves its judgment. This pivotal case has drawn national attention, with both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) closely monitoring the proceedings.

The appeal, led by Adebutu and the PDP, urges the Supreme Court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh elections in 99 polling units where previous elections were reportedly cancelled. Chief Chris Uche SAN, representing the appellants, argued that the election results announced by INEC favored Governor Abiodun and the APC by a mere 13,000 votes, while the votes at the 99 polling units in question amounted to over 40,000. The crux of their argument is that these votes could potentially alter the outcome of the election and are critical to determining the rightful winner.

Conversely, counsel to INEC, Abiodun Owonikoko SAN, and lead counsel to the APC, Tayo Oyetibo SAN, adamantly advocated for the dismissal of the appeal. They emphasized that the election had been conclusively concluded, and the purported documents provided by the appellants regarding the cancellation of elections in the 99 polling units were deemed to lack probative value.

Notably, the Appeal Court’s decision on November 24, 2023, upheld the re-election of Governor Dapo Abiodun, with a majority judgment dismissing the appeal brought forth by the PDP and its governorship candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu. However, a minority judgment favored the appeal, ordering INEC to conduct a fresh election within 90 days.

The Supreme Court’s impending judgment will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications, shaping the political landscape in Ogun State. As the nation anticipates the court’s decision, the outcome of this legal battle holds the potential to redefine the gubernatorial election’s outcome and influence the future trajectory of Ogun State’s governance.