By Olasunkanmi Ogunmuko
The Ekiti State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ado-Ekiti has struck out the petition filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its Candidate, Segun Oni, in the June 18, 2022 Governorship election, against the victory of Governor Biodun Oyebanji.
Social Democratic Party SDP and its Candidate Segun Oni had on the 7th of July approached the tribunal seeking the nullification of Oyebanji as the winner of the election on the grounds of eligibility to contest as candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) and other irregularities.
Oni and the SDP were the 1st and 2nd Petitioners in the case, while the respondents were Oyebanji (1st), the APC (2nd), Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, in his capacity as the Chairman of the APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (3rd), INEC (4th) and the Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye (5th).
The Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-man tribunal delivered the verdict and dismissed all the grounds of the SDP and its candidate petition for lacking in merit.
The tribunal held that Biodun Oyebanji and her Deputy, Monisade Afuye were duly nominated and sponsored by the APC in line with Section 177 of the Constitution and Section 31 of the Electoral Act.
Reacting to the judgment, lead counsel to SDP and Segun Oni, Owoseni Ajayi in an interview vowed to challenge the pronouncement of the tribunal at the appellate court.
On his part, Lead counsel to APC and Oyebanji former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ekiti State, Olawale Fapohunda, described the judgment as a welcome development, while commending the jurists for staying on the path of the truth
Governor of Ekiti State State, Biodun Oyebanji also described the judgment of the State Election Petition Tribunal as a true reflection of the position of the Law and the collective wish of the people.
He called on the SDP Candidate, Segun Oni to join hands with him to develop the state, stressing that he has no opponent when it comes to the issue of Ekiti state.
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