Warns Adebutu’s supporters against misleading public
The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, yesterday, admitted documents from counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Oladipupo Adebutu, led by Goddy Uche (SAN), after changing the earlier mode of presentation that was in conflict with procedure rules.
Counsel to the respondents, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had last Tuesday raised objection against failure of counsel to the petitioners to present envisaged undisputed documents through the Bar to all parties involved in the case for verification and authentication before presenting same before the panel.
The tribunal thereafter mandated PDP’s counsel to go back and allow other parties in the case scrutinise and authenticate those documents to be tendered, and come back to re-present.
However, while the proceedings were still on, yesterday, and documents were still being tendered and admitted provisionally by the tribunal, a counsel to one of the respondents told the panel that some media outlets had mischievously reported that all documents brought by Adebutu’s team had been admitted.
He described the misinformation as propaganda about proceedings of the panel.
The lead counsel to the petitioners was thereafter advised to warn his clients and their supporters against misleading the public through sensational stories in the media.
Meanwhile, when all parties agreed in principle that all documents should be admitted by the panel and objection should come in their final addresses, Uche urged the tribunal to allow him call all his schedules out.
To that end, the first 126 pages were called and agreed to by first, second and third counsel.
