A State High Court in Ogun State has thrown out an application seeking to stop the alleged vote-buying trial of Ladi Adebutu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun in the 2023 elections.
The presiding judge, T.A Okunsokan, on Wednesday, directed the prosecution to proceed to trial after dismissing the application.
Adebutu is facing trial alongside five others over a four-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, bribery, and two counts of undue influence which violates sections 121 and 127 of the Electoral Act 2022.
Chairperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun, Yemi Sanusi, had petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, raising vote-buying allegations against Adebutu.
Adebutu was accused of involvement in massive vote-buying during the 2023 governorship election in Ogun.
The State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) of the police in Abeokuta, was said to have probed the matter.
Thereafter, the office of public prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, filed criminal charges against Adebutu and his co-defendants at the high court.
Muyiwa Obanesa, in an application filed on behalf of Ladi Adebutu and five others, asked the court to strike out the criminal charges levelled against the defendants.
Obanesa had argued that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) lacked the powers to prosecute the case.
However, the prosecutor, Rotimi Jacobs, who appeared alongside S.A Obafemi, opposed the application.
The judge ruled that the AGF has the powers to prosecute and file the criminal charges against the defendants and adjourned the case to January 29 to 30, 2026.
