Tinubu’s Govt Drags Popular PDP Candidate To Court For Alleged Vote Buying

Amidst the ongoing hearing at the Presidential Election Petition Court challenging his legitimacy as President, the Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government has charged Oladipupo Adebutu, to court for allegedly buying votes during the 18 March elections in the State.

Adebutu, Parallel Facts understands, was the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun during the 2023 elections.

In a suit brought by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice before an Ogun State High Court in Abeokuta, nine other persons associated with the PDP were also charged.

In a separate suit it filed at the Federal High Court in Abeokuta, the government also charged Zenith Bank and two of its top officials for allegedly aiding Mr Adebutu to commit the alleged offence.

The two suits were filed on Thursday, 2 June, by the Director, Public Prosecution of the Federation , M. B. Abubakar; Aderonke Imana, an assistant chief state counsel, and Sani Bagudu, a senior counsel at the Department of Public Prosecution of the Federation, on behalf of the AGF and Minister of Justice.

Charged alongside Mr Adebutu before the state high court in Abeokuta are Ogunbona Hammed, Tiamiyu Waliu, Egunsola Owolabi and Sanni Adejoke.

The other defendants are Dare Ogunleye, Dare Adeoye, Dayo Fashina, Wasiu Enololobo, and Malik Akawo.

According to the notice filed by the prosecution, Mr Adebutu and four of the other defendants are currently at large.

Recall Mr Adebutu fled abroad following threats to his life after the governorship election, which he narrowly lost to Governor Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

It was also reported the police later stating that the politician told their investigators through his lawyer that he travelled abroad for medical care after he was invited over allegations of vote buying made against him in a petition by the ruling party in the state.

In the suit before the Ogun State High Court, the federal government charged Mr Adebutu and the fifth defendant, Adejoke Sanni, with three counts of alleged criminal conspiracy, bribery and undue influence, while the eight others were charged only with the first two counts.

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