Ogun Tribunal admits BVAS reports, others as “exhibits” against Abiodun

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Thursday admitted a 176-page report of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) and other documents as exhibits in the petition filed against Governor Dapo Abiodun.

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Ladi Adebutu in a petition marked, EPT/OG/GOV/03/2023 is challenging the victory of Abiodun based on alleged non-compliance to the Electoral Act and corrupt practices during the election.

Lawyer to Adebutu, Gordy Uche tendered the BIVAS reports, INEC results and other thousands of documentary evidence before the three-man tribunal.

Uche had on Tuesday presented the documents before the tribunal and prayed that the court admits them as “exhibits” against Abiodun.

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But, 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 the same on Thursday.

Some of the documents include; 176-page BVAS reports; one certificate of compliance; an INEC receipt; Form EC8A – declaration of results 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 Thursday, Uche again presented the documents, informing the court that the respondents had inspected the documents as ordered.

Uche said, “They (respondents) have inspected the documents and subject to any other thing, we are ready for the tendering”.

Respondents’ lawyers, Remi Olatubora (INEC), Titilola Akinlawon (Dapo Abiodun) and Onyechi Ikpeazu (All Progressives Congress), all reserved their objections to some exhibits till final addresses.

Kunaza-led Tribunal 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.