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Tribunal Strikes out PDP, Adebutu’s reply on Vote Buying Allegation Against Dapo Abiodun
The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Monday struck out the vote buying allegation, levelled against Governor Dapo Abiodun and the All Progressives Congress (APC) by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu.
Adebutu had dragged Governor Abiodun and the APC to the tribunal challenging their declaration as the winner of the 18, March 2023 governorship election in the state.
But the governor’s lawyers, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), in their defence to the petition, made weighty allegations backed up with police report, establishing that Adebutu and the PDP engaged in vote buying during the elections.
On 22 May, 2023, Adebutu and the PDP filed a reply to the defence by Governor Abiodun and the APC, also levelling vote buying allegation against the ruling party.
The Governor’s lawyers, represented by Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), however, filed an application asking the Tribunal to strike out the Reply in its entirety or in the alternative, to strike out offending paragraphs from that Reply.
Osipitan argued that the Reply filed by Adebutu and PDP contravenes paragraph 16(1) (a & b) of the Electoral Act and the rules of court pleadings.
While ruling on the matter, the Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice H.N. Kunaza, agreed with the submissions by Prof. Osipitan
In the ruling, supported by the other two members; Hon. Justice J.B. Egele and Hon. Justice Sannusi Shehu, the Tribunal overruled Adebutu’s lawyers, led by Chief Goddy Uche (SAN), saying that the application filed by the Governor’s lawyers was not the kind of application that the Constitution requires to be determined at the end of proceedings in judgment.
Relying on relevant provisions of the Constitution, the Tribunal held that only applications that challenge the tribunal’s jurisdiction or the competence of a petition will be deferred till judgment whereas the application filed by Governor Abiodun’s lawyers was not that kind of application.
The Tribunal also held that the Reply by Adebutu and PDP was incompetent for multiple reasons.
The Tribunal identified some paragraphs which contained unnecessary and repetitive allegations, others, which contained arguments and legal conclusions (which are not allowed in replies), and some paragraphs which were an improper expansion of the petition earlier filed.
The Tribunal noted that in their petition, Adebutu and PDP alleged that Governor Abiodun and APC committed corrupt practices during the gubernatorial elections. The Tribunal further noted that vote buying is a specie of corruption and that if PDP and Adebutu truly believed that APC engaged in vote buying, the petitioner ought to have included those allegations in their petition from the start, which they did not do.
The Tribunal noted that if the Reply filed by Adebutu and PDP was permitted, there was a risk to prejudice, surprise, or even shut out Governor Abiodun and APC on the issues raised in that Reply.
The Tribunal denounced Adebutu and the PDP for coming up with the vote-buying allegation only after APC and Governor Abiodun had done same against them.
With this backdrop, the Tribunal unanimously concluded that Governor Abiodun and APC would be prejudiced if the Reply filed by Adebutu and PDP is allowed.
The Tribunal held that when Governor Abiodun and APC filed their defence, they joined issues with Adebutu and PDP; that by joining issues, the parties fixed the dispute; and that it was improper to go outside those issues in the Reply.
The Tribunal also found that it was unnecessary to file a Reply in the circumstance, as held in several decisions of the Supreme Court and the Appeal Court.
The Reply was accordingly struck out.
With this ruling, only the allegation of vote buying made by Governor Abiodun and APC against Adebutu and the PDP would be entertained by the tribunal.
Jelili Owonikoko (SAN), represented INEC, while the APC team was led by Chief Onyeazu Ikpeazu (SAN).
It would be recalled that Adebutu and PDP leaders in Ogun State have been charged for the offence of vote buying by the Federal Government, a situation that has led to Adebutu being a fugitive to the law.
• by Ohibaba.com
The funeral procession
Governor Peter Mbah made a speech
Peter Obi , other dignitaries with Chukwu’s family
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Mbah, Obi, Bid Farewell to Christian Chukwu
Consoling the family, Governor Mbah said, “As a government, we will always stand by you and ensure that Chukwu is immortalised, for indeed he served and loved Enugu and Nigeria with all his heart.
Image credit: Peter Obi / X
A 10- days night of tributes in Lagos and Enugu for the former Super Eagles captain and head coach -Christian Chukwu, ended today with his burial at his country home, Obe, in the Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Chukwu, popularly called “Chairman”, died on April 12, at the age of 74.
Dignitaries at the burial were former Labour Party presidential candidate Mr Peter Obi., President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, represented by the Chairman of the Nigeria National League, Mr George Aluo, and Senator representing Anambra Central, Sen. Victor Umeh.
Others are members of the Enugu Executive Council, the retired Anglican Archbishop of the Enugu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, ex-Rangers players, the former Chairman of the Enugu Sports Club, Chief Nnanna Atuonwu, and others.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State said at the event: “For me, and I believe for so many as well, it is difficult for you to have met Chairman without being inspired by his simplicity and humility.
“Without a doubt, he was disciplined, dignified, polite, and empathetic,” Mbah said.
Consoling the family, Governor Mbah said, “As a government, we will always stand by you and ensure that Chukwu is immortalised, for indeed he served and loved Enugu and Nigeria with all his heart.
Let us be comforted by the remarkable memory and legacies he left behind,” he added.
Earlier in his homily, the Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rt Rev. Samuel Ike, extolled Chukwu’s exploits, contributions and development to football in Nigeria and Africa.
He described him as a “strong man” that led his team on a journey and fought and won several battles, as well as a committed family man that loved his family and relations.
“Chukwu has won battles with Rangers, Super Eagles and others. The Lord has been gracious unto him through several battles; he was an all-rounded man, very generous, and his generosity extended to the family of St Philip’s Church, Obe,” Ike said.
In response on behalf of the family, Mr Chukwuemeka Chukwu Jr thanked the guests for honouring and paying their last respects to his father.
Chukwu was born in Enugu and is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s greatest defenders of all time.Chukwu, revered for his leadership and defensive mastery, captained both Enugu Rangers and the Nigerian national team, leading the country to its first Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, declared today Nigeria’s security forces capture two top leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Nigeria, following a months-long counter-terrorism operation.
Ribadu, at a press briefing held at the Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja, said that those arrested are Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas or Mukhtar, identified as the self-styled Emir of Ansaru, and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri, also known as Mallam Mamuda.
Ribadu said the intelligence-led operation was carried out between May and July 2025 in collaboration with security and intelligence agencies.
According to Ribadu, Abu Bara coordinated terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria and masterminded high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies to finance terrorism.
He added that his deputy, Mamuda, led the “Mahmudawa” cell around Kainji National Park and trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors.
Ribadu said, “The targeted operation, which was conducted between May and July 2025, led to the capture of two top ANSARU leaders who have been responsible for masterminding several terrorist attacks against Nigeria over the past years.
The first is Mahmud Muhammad Usman (aka Abu Bara’a/Abbas/Mukhtar), the self-styled Emir of ANSARU.
He is the coordinator of various terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria. He is also the mastermind of several high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies used to finance terrorism over the years.“
The second is Mahmud al-Nigeri (aka Mallam Mamuda), Abu Bara’s proclaimed Chief of Staff and Deputy.
He is the leader of the so-called “Mahmudawa” cell hiding out in and around the Kainji National Park, straddling Niger and Kwara States up to the Benin Republic.
Mamuda trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, specialising in weapons handling and IED fabrication.
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