The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, was told on Wednesday by Allied Peoples Movement (APM) governorship candidate Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade that himself and his witnesses have been subjects of sundry threats by unknown persons in the last couple of days.
Sebastian Hon, counsel to Akinlade told the tribunal, chaired by Justice Halilu Yusuf, that his client and his witnesses – over a dozen of them – were being threatened in connection with the pending petition challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate, Prince Adedapo Abiodun, as the winner of the governorship election conducted on March 9, 2019.
The petition was filed by Akinlade – hitherto an APC lawmaker representing Yewa South and Ipokia Federal Constituency in the Eighth Legislative Assembly before moving to the APM to contest the governorship poll against Abiodun (APC ) and other candidates.
Hon raised the alarm immediately after the court proceeding, saying a witness was practically dragged out of the court by his father over an alleged threat to life.
He later told reporters about the threats to his client and the witnesses.
According to him, the policeman protecting the petitioner (Akinlade) was withdrawn last week.
But, Dapo Abiodun’s counsel; Dele Adesina, SAN, debunked the allegation, arguing that he could not imagine a more peaceful atmosphere than what was being enjoyed by the court since it started sitting.
Also, counsel to APC, Habib Ajayi, said if withdrawing the security of the petitioner was a threat, the petitioner should better address that with the security.
Hon, however, requested that the hearing of the petition be put on hold until they review their security situation as well as lodge complaints to the right authorities.
Sebastian said: “The police security for the petitioner, who was the governorship candidate of APM, has been withdrawn. The witnesses, who are to come and testify, have been threatened. Just yesterday, one of them, the father came here. He said his life is under threat and that his son wanted to kill him. The rest have been under threat as well.
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“So, we told the tribunal that we can’t proceed today after we managed to secure the attendance of three witnesses. So, we are going back to look at the security situation and appeal to the authorities. I personally would be making this appeal as well because we counsel, fellow petitioners and the petitioners themselves need security.
“We have every right to be here and we ask the Inspector General of Police, the Directorate of State Security and all concerned to offer security to us.”
But, Abiodun’s counsel said: “On the issue of threat to life, you have been here since the beginning of this hearing and what you see is important than what anyone tells you. I don’t see or imagine a more peaceful atmosphere than what we are seeing here.
“It is evident for everybody to see and beyond that, the person who is the governor of the state today, my client, is a man of peace just like I described him as a dove inside the tribunal room. I know him intimately. But, you know we lawyers can make a mountain out of a mould hill; we can describe a no petition as a petition .
“This allegation is like talking about a man, who is not a man, trying to kill a bird, which is not a bird, on a tree that is not a tree.
“I was the one that even said if they need to be assured to assemble their witnesses, no problems; we would help them, we would go to the Commissioner of Police to assure them.
“But if they can call 28 witnesses without any molestation, then, I don’t know what he is talking about”.
Also, counsel to APC argued that it was an administrative issue between who provided the security and for whom the security is being provided.
He said: “If there is a threat because the police attached to the petitioner was allegedly withdrawn, that is an issue the petitioner should take up with the security because that is not a threat as far as we are concerned. It is an administrative issue between whoever request for police protection and who gave police protection.
However, Justice Halilu said he was not afraid of anyone, except God, who he would give an account of his stewardship to after death.
But he stressed that the security of everyone is of utmost paramount.
“On the threat, I will want the counsels to meet with the Commissioner of Police for better security architecture,” Justice Halilu said.
The court was however adjourned till June 24 for the petitioner to present more witnesses.