Ekiti Election Tribunal Adjourns for Judgment

The Ekiti State Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday adjourned for judgment the petition filed by the Ekiti State Social Democratic Party candidate, Segun Oni, challenging the victory of Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress in the June 18 governorship election of the state.

The chairman of the three-member tribunal, Justice Wilfred Kpochi, reserved judgment for a later date to be communicated to parties in the matter after the petitioner and respondents had adopted their final written addresses.

At the adoption of written addresses, among others, Oni, who urged the tribunal to nullify Oyebanji’s victory in the election, alleging that APC did not have a valid candidate, prayed the tribunal to grant all the reliefs he sought and declare him as the lawful winner of the election.

Oni’s counsel, Mr Owoseni Ajayi, told the tribunal that Governor Mai Buni (fifth respondent), who signed Oyebanji’s nomination form and who also superintended the APC governorship primaries, contravened Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution by accepting to be the APC National Caretaker Chairman.

However, Oyebanji, APC, INEC and other respondents urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by Oni and the SDP following inability to substantiate their allegations.