The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Abeokuta, Ogun State, has admitted as exhibits a 176-page report of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) and other documents in the petition filed before it by the PDP and its governorship candidate against the APC’s victory.
In a case titled EPT/OG/GOV/03/2023, Ladi Adebutu, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, challenges Abiodun’s victory based on alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act and corrupt practises during the election.
Lawyer to Adebutu, Gordy Uche tendered the BIVAS reports, INEC results and other thousands of documentary evidences before the three-man Tribunal.
The counsel had on Tuesday presented the documents before the Tribunal and prayed the court to admit them as “exhibits” against Abiodun.
But, counsel to the respondents requested that they be allowed to inspect the documents before they could be admitted by the Tribunal.
The Chairman of the Tribunal, Hamidu Kunaza had given both the petitioners and the respondents Tuesday and Wednesday to inspect all undisputed documents and re-present same to the tribunal
Some of the documents include: 176-page BVAS reports; one certificate of compliance; an INEC receipt; Form EC8A – declaration of result from INEC; Form EC8D – summary of results from local governments; Form EC8Cs for the 20 LGAs; Form EC8Bs for Abeokuta North, Abeokuta South, Ado-Odo/Ota, Egbado North, Egbado South, Ewekoro, Ifo, Ijebu North, Ijebu North East, Ijebu-Ode, Ikenne and others.
At the resumed sitting on Friday, the counsel to the petitioner Goddy Uche re-presented the documents, informing the court that the respondents had inspected the documents as ordered.
“They have inspected the documents and subject to any other thing, we are ready for the tendering,” he said.
Respondents’ lawyers, Remi Olatubora (INEC), Titilola Akinlawon (Dapo Abiodun) and Onyechi Ikpeazu (All Progressives Congress), all reserved their objections to some of exhibits till final addresses.
The tribunal chairman Hamidu Kunaza afterwards admitted the documents and marked them as exhibits.
“All documents are to be admitted from the bar and objections reserved till final addresses,” the Tribunal ruled.