Another drama occurred at the governorship tribunal sitting in Ogun State as vendetta was highlighted in the testimony of the star witness of the All Progressives Congress, Apostle Abiodun Sanyaolu, against the petitioner, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Note that Adebutu is in court challenging the legitimacy of the second term given to the governor of the state, Prince Dapo Abiodun, of the APC by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
During cross-examination of the witness, it was revealed that Apostle Sanyaolu was once indebted to Hon. Adebutu to the tune of ten million naira, which he is yet to pay back.
Besides, the witness also failed to prove the allegation of vote-buying the petitioner is being accused of beyond reasonable doubt.
Read below the exchange between the petitioner’s lawyer, Gordy Uche, SAN, and Apostle Sanyaolu.
Gordy Uche, SAN: On the day of elections, where were you?
Sanyaolu: I voted in Odeda and moved to Abeokuta in a situation room.
Gordy Uche, SAN: You were not in all the PU on the day of the election.
Sanyaolu: Yes.
Gordy Uche, SAN: You tendered the WAEC of one Abiodun Oluseun Abiodun.
Sanyaolu: Yes.
Gordy Uche, SAN: Did you write the examination together with him?
Sanyaolu: No.
Gordy Uche, SAN: Were you the one that collected the original certificate from WAEC?
Sanyaolu: I wasn’t.
Court laughed.
Gordy Uche, SAN: Look at Exhibit RO7, show me where vote-buying is indicated.
Sanyaolu: It’s not.
Gordy Uche, SAN: Confirm to me that there is nothing like vote-buying in that letter.
Sanyaolu: It’s not there.
Gordy Uche, SAN: Show me in the letter where Oladipupo Adebutu is stated to have received the card.
Sanyaolu: It’s not there.
Gordy Uche, SAN: Were you one of the persons that made the statement to the Police on that matter?
Sanyaolu: I am not.
Gordy Uche, SAN: You have nothing to do with this investigation as a person.
Sanyaolu: I don’t.
Gordy Uche, SAN: There is nothing containing PDP on that card.
Sanyaolu: No.
Gordy Uche, SAN: Check another exhibit RA 18. Is the word PDP there?
Sanyaolu: PDP is not there.
Gordy Uche, SAN: Read exhibit RA 13.
Sanyaolu: Dame Caroline Adebutu Endowment Scheme for the less privileged.
Gordy Uche, SAN: I put it to you that Zenith Bank did their due diligence before issuing the card.
Sanyaolu: I don’t work in Zenith.
Gordy Uche, SAN: Show the witness exhibit RA 17.
Sanyaolu: He approached the bank in Feb and stated the intention of the Adebutu Family to make an endowment card of 200,000 pieces for the less privileged, and we had conducted due diligence on it that the card is meant for that purpose it was requested for.
Gordy Uche, SAN: From what you read, you confirmed they did due diligence.
Sanyaolu: Yes, my lord.
Court laughed.
Gordy Uche, SAN: Check police reports. The police told us they arrested just five. Confirm to us.
Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, who led the governor’s team, stood up to say time is up.
Panel: APC counsel used more than 25 minutes. We should be fair to all.
Gordy Uche, SAN: Check police reports. The police told us they arrested just five. Confirm to us.
Sanyaolu: Read and confirmed.
Gordy Uche, SAN: None of them was arrested near any polling unit.
Sanyaolu: That is not correct.
Gordy Uche, SAN: I’ll show you. I put it to you that these five persons were arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) riding a motorcycle. Let me show you, he was shown the same reports.
Sanyaolu appeared perplexed after seeing the reports.
Gordy Uche, SAN: You were a member of PDP before.
Sanyaolu: Yes.
Gordy Uche, SAN: You were a close associate (of Hon. Adebutu).
Sanyaolu: Yes.
Gordy Uche, SAN: All your evidence was on vendetta because Adebutu loaned you N10 million, and you gave a bounced cheque.
Sanyaolu: No, it’s N5 million.
Court laughed. Gordy Uche, SAN showed him the transaction letter.
Sanyaolu appeared shocked and uncomfortable.
Gordy Uche, SAN: But you haven’t paid.
Sanyaolu: I have paid, the lawyer wrote a letter to me.
Adebutu is insisting that what happened on March 18, 2023, in the gateway state was not an election but an electoral heist, as the current governor was accused of several crimes ranging from ineligibility to stand for election, over-voting, ballot snatching, intimidation, and illegal collusion with electoral officers to declare false results.
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator and a recipient of the D9112 Superstar Icon Award, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
