The Supreme Court, on Friday, affirmed the election of Prince Dapo Abiodun as the governor of Ogun State.
The five-member panel was led by Tijjani Abubakar, who dismissed the appeal brought by Ladi Adebutu, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate for governor in the most recent elections, in a ruling that was delivered on Friday.
In its lead judgment prepared by Justice Tijjani Abubakar, the apex court said it found no reason to nullify the election victory of Governor Abiodun, who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The apex court upheld the earlier verdict of the Court of Appeal, which on November 22, 2023, dismissed the case of the PDP and its candidate raised against the election.
“In the end, this appeal is unmeritorious and deserves to be dismissed. It is hereby dismissed,” Abubakar held.
In March 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Abiodun winner with 276,298 votes, while Ladi Adebutu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 262,38 and Biyi Otegbeye of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) came a distant third with 94,754 votes.
Dissatisfied with the outcome of the poll, Adebutu approached the Ogun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, insisting that he was the valid winner of the gubernatorial contest.
He, among other things, alleged that the election was not conducted in substantial compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.