voting fraud: Zenith Bank testifies against Adebutu and provides the trial with evidence of 200,000 preloaded ATM cards

The Head of Card Services at Zenith Bank, Mrs. Celestina Appeal, was subpoenaed and called as a witness on Monday before the governorship election petition tribunal in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, in relation to the charge of vote buying through preloaded ATM cards brought against Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu.

Prof. Taiwo Osipitan, the governor’s attorney, previously informed the panel that two letters were sent to Zenith Bank in February asking for clarification on how Adebutu opened a special account with the bank for the purpose of his action as well as the request he made for the issuance of 200,000 preloaded ATM cards with N10,000 each, a few days prior to the March 18 gubernatorial election.

The witness began presenting her evidence by submitting a certified true copy of a letter that Oladipupo Adebutu wrote to Zenith Bank on February 27, 2023, two days after the presidential election that the PDP lost, requesting the opening of an account for the production of 200,000 ATM verve cards with a value of N10,000 each and a total of 2 billion naira.

The Head of Card Services at Zenith Bank, Mrs. Celestina Appeal, was subpoenaed and called as a witness on Monday before the governorship election petition tribunal in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, in relation to the charge of vote buying through preloaded ATM cards brought against Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu.

Prof. Taiwo Osipitan, the governor’s attorney, previously informed the panel that two letters were sent to Zenith Bank in February asking for clarification on how Adebutu opened a special account with the bank for the purpose of his action as well as the request he made for the issuance of 200,000 preloaded ATM cards with N10,000 each, a few days prior to the March 18 gubernatorial election.

The witness began presenting her evidence by submitting a certified true copy of a letter that Oladipupo Adebutu wrote to Zenith Bank on February 27, 2023, two days after the presidential election that the PDP lost, requesting the opening of an account for the production of 200,000 ATM verve cards with a value of N10,000 each and a total of 2 billion naira.

She also provided a second certified true copy of a letter that Adebutu had written and delivered to the bank on the same date, February 27, 2023, asking for the issuance of 200 000 ATM verve cards.

In addition, she provided a certificate of compliance, a record of the delivery and collection of the prepaid ATM cards to Adebutu, a sample of the card, and a statement of the account formed in Adebutu’s name that shows the account’s input and outflow from February to May 2023.

Adeosun Waheed, a businessman from Abeokuta North, and Mr. Odesanya Olalekan, an artisan from Ijebu North East, the second and third witnesses who testified before the panel, both stated that PDP members distributed preloaded ATM cards on election day.

The third witness, Waheed, under cross examination by counsels for the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Afolabi Fashanu, SAN, and Otunba Kunle Kalejaiye, SAN, respectively, confirmed that Adebutu, also known as Baba Ijebu, was the one who distributed the preloaded ATM cards. She also noted that the cards bore the inscription of Mrs. Caroline Adebutu, the mother of the PDP candidate.

The witness stated under further cross examination that PDP supporters interfered with the voting process by opposing the use of the BVAS in the election’s administration.

Gordy Uche, the petitioners’ lawyer, stated in his remarks that he would reserve his objection to the submission of numerous papers and letters, including the gathering and delivery of the cards to his final location.

He also objected to the petitioner submitting a copy of the cards they shared on election day, but he saved the specifics of his argument until the moment of final address.

Prof. Taiwo Osipitan, the attorney for the second respondent (Gov. Dapo Abiodun), then requested an adjournment and informed the court that his case would be concluded on Tuesday. The next witness would need to appear and present certain papers, he added.

In its decision, the tribunal accepted the copy of the subpoena and designated it as exhibit RA5. Additionally, the letter sent by the first witness seeking ATM by Adebutu was accepted as exhibit RA6.

The N2 billion letter of deposit was designated as exhibit RA7 in a similar vein.

The tribunal continued by arguing that there was no need for re-examination because every witness responded directly to the questions, and it then continued the hearing on Tuesday.