Ogun Election Tribunal: Witness confesses to writing statement at PDP Secretariat

Ladi Adebutu, Dapo Abiodun and Kunle Kalejaye SAN

By Foluso Adelaja

A witness in the petition filed by Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, the People's Democratic Party's gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 General Elections in Ogun State against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Governor Dapo Abiodun and the All Progressives Congress (APC) confessed today in court that he wrote his witness statement in the matter at the Secretariat of the petitioner's party, PDP.

The witness, Ayinde Ridwan Olamilekan who said he was a witness to the disruption that prevented voters from exercising their civic rights at Ijemo, Abeokuta South earlier told the court that he was neither a PDP member nor a sympathizer.

He denied copying from other witnesses' statements despite the similarities in their several eyewitness accounts.

However, during cross examination by the counsel of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Otunba Kunle Kalejaye, SAN, the witness admitted that his eyewitness's account of the proceedings at the polling booth on the election day was written on the 6th day of April, 2023 at the PDP's Secretariat.

Ayinde Ridwan Olamilekan, who claimed to be a businessman also revealed that he reported all that happened at the polling station first to the Ward Chairman of the PDP immediately after the disruption.

The witness who was obviously exasperated by the several lawyers representing parties responding to the petition seemingly left the court in annoyance after what appeared to be a poor showing in the witness box.

Also today, the lead counsel to the PDP in the matter, Chief Chief Chris Uche SAN told the court that he may close his  case this week as he may not call more than three more witnesses as opposed to over 600 witnesses he had earlier told the court.

Speaking to journalists later outside the courtroom, Chief Uche SAN said the number of witnesses lined up for this PDP matter is the highest in election matters nationwide.

He said he deliberately called for adjournment today to allow the court a little rest before he calls his expert witnesses tomorrow noting that the PDP has voluminous evidence to tender in court on this matter.