The Ogun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abeokuta yesterday, rejected an application submitted by Counsel to the People’s Democratic Party, Mr Gordy Uche, SAN, seeking a’stand down’ after witnesses provided damning evidence against the petitioners.
Four witnesses, Oyegunle Suleiman, from Sagamu, Mr Ifetayo Ifede, from Ikenne and Adelani Yemi, from Abeokuta North, including an official of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mr Omotilewa, had appeared before the panel to give pieces of evidence backed up by documents against PDP, alleging electoral infraction, ranging from manipulation, disruption of electoral process, as well as inducement through the preloaded ATM cards with inscription of Ladi Adebutu’s late mother.
All the witnesses proved and defended their statements with appropriate documents tendered to the tribunal and subsequently adopted and marked as exhibits.
In his reaction, Counsel to the petitioner, Gordy Uche, said he needed a stand down or an adjustment to enable him to prepare for his defence, describing the huge documents tendered by the witnesses against the petitioners as an ‘ambush’, saying that he was ‘handicap’.
In its ruling, the tribunal said: “After listening to both the petitioners and respondents, it thought that the application for stand down as canvassed by the petitioner was lacking in merit, and therefore, dismissed it.”
The tribunal, therefore, adjourned the case till September 4, 2023, for the adoption of written addresses by both parties, through soft copies.