Ekiti 2022: Tribunal Dismisses INEC’s Motion to Set Aside Subpoena

The Election Petition Tribunal hearing the dispute arising from the June 18, 2022 governorship election in Ekiti State has dismissed an application by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to set aside a subpoena earlier issued against the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).

The tribunal had issued the Subpoena Duces tecum ad Testificandum on August 30 against the REC, an officer and employee of INEC to bring some electoral documents and materials and testify before the panel as requested by the petitioners.

The petitioners are Chief Segun Oni (1st) and the Social Democratic Party (2nd), who lost the governorship poll.

The respondents are the governor-elect, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji (1st), All Progressives Congress (2nd), Alhaji Mai Mala Buni (3rd), INEC (4th) and deputy governor-elect, Mrs. Monisade Afuye (5th).

The tribunal in a ruling delivered by a member of the three-member panel, Justice Sa’ad Zadawa, dismissed the application by the 4th respondent to set aside a subpoena compelling the appearance of the REC in the interest of justice.