The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Thursday closed his defence before the state Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, after calling 30 witnesses.
The tribunal is hearing the petition filed against his victory in the March 9 governorship election by the candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, Adekunle Akinlade.
His counsel, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), told the panel that his client, who is the second respondent in the petition, would no longer call witnesses.
The closure of defence by Abiodun would allow his party, the All Progressives Congress, to open its case as the third respondent.
The APC, however, agreed to forfeit three days of July 19, 20 and 22 out of the 10 days given to it to call witnesses.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission has disowned the pink copies of forms EC8A tendered as exhibits by Akinlade’s counsel, Isiaka Olagunju, on the grounds that there had been alteration and cancellation of figures on the Certified True Copies of the document.
Olagunju, while cross-examining Abiodun’s witnesses, pointed out that there were alteration and cancellation of figures on the original copies of the result sheets, which he noted did not occur on the pink copies earlier issued to the petitioners by INEC.
Abiodun’s witnesses had claimed the pink copies were not the ones they signed but similar to the ones given to them on the day of the election.
However, while cross-examining the witnesses, counsel for INEC, Adewale Obilade, said the pink copies did not have INEC stamp embossed on them and could not be relied on.
The Justice Yusuf Halilu-led tribunal however, adjourned the case till July 23 for further hearing.
