A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Segun Showunmi, was on Monday, June 5, assaulted by suspected political thugs as the Election Petition Tribunal in the state observed its inaugural sitting over the March 18 governorship election in the state.
The three-man tribunal is chaired by Justice Hamidu Kunaza.
The PDP governorship candidate in the election, Oladipupo Adebutu, had filed a petition against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Governor Dapo Abiodun.
However, Showunmi was assaulted by suspected political thugs at the tribunal sitting at Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court in Isabo, Ogun State.
It was gathered that the thugs, in their large numbers, came to support a political party.
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Some of them were seen holding canes as a minor clash also broke out between supporters of the two major political parties, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and PDP.
It, however, took the intervention of armed security operatives from the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Department of State Services (DSS), and Amotekun Corps before normalcy was restored.
The security operatives also prevented political supporters from entering the court premises, while the road leading to the facility was blocked, preventing vehicular movement around the area.
Addressing the tribunal, Chris Uche, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who led Adebutu’s legal team, pledged support to the tribunal toward quick dispensation of justice.
Justice Kunaza, in his address, said the tribunal had received four petitions challenging the declaration of the APC candidate, Abiodun, as the winner of the election.
He, however, said two out of the four petitions had been struck out, while also assuring the litigants of fair hearing, justice, and satisfaction at the end of the tribunal’s assignment.
Kunaza urged all the parties to cooperate with the tribunal just as he enjoined legal practitioners not to mislead the tribunal.
He also appealed to the media to give factual reportage of the proceedings at the tribunal.
The tribunal chairman, therefore, adjourned sitting till June 13, 2023.
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