The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Ogun State has lauded the verdict of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which struck out the petition filed by Ladi Adebutu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and upheld the election of Governor Dapo Abiodun.
Addressing a press conference in Abeokuta on Tuesday, IPAC chairman in Ogun State, Samson Okusanya, said contrary to the claims made by Adebutu and his team of lawyers that the verdict of the tribunal was based on technicalities, the rulings were predicated on fairness and objectivity on the point of law.
Okusanya said, “We find their arguments empty and blind, where they claimed they were perplexed by the Tribunal’s reliance on technicalities involving procedural issues and semantics of the interpretation of words over the substance and core realities of the case.
“Ladi Adebutu and his team of Lawyers ought to have known that law and facts are not based on technicalities but rather on fairness and objectivity of the legal process which stipulates that the petitioner ought to have front-loaded certain information in the petition.”
While saying he who alleges must prove, the IPAC chairman stated that tribunal judgement clearly revealed that Adebutu’s petition contained many procedural flaws.
“The subsequent dismissal of the substantive suits is therefore right in the eyes of the Law,” the IPAC leader averred.
Okusanya, in the statement, lauded the tribunal judges “for treating the petitions on their merits and with analytical minds,” saying the verdict was a watershed and point of reference, even as he called on other political parties to join hands with Abiodun.
IPAC also called on Adebutu to discontinue his plan to approach the appellate court for further litigation.
“The PDP and her candidate, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, should by now realise that Ogun State is not a commodity for purchase. We implore him to discontinue his sojourn abroad as a fugitive, and immediately return to Ogun State in Nigeria to join hands to build our dear state.
“We, therefore, congratulate Prince Dapo Abiodun, CON, for the victory of Saturday, and urge him to continue to demonstrate good leadership in Ogun State and remain focused on transforming the State,” the statement added.
