Ekiti tribunal unholds Oyebanji’s victory

The Ekiti State Election Petitions Tribunal has upheld the victory of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Biodun Oyebanji, in the June 18 gubernatorial election in the state.

The tribunal sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, in its judgment on Thursday, dismissed the petition of the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Segun Oni.

In the judgment read by the tribunal chairman, Justice Wilfred Kpochi, and a member of the Panel, Justice Sa’ad Zadawa, resolved all issues in contention against Oni and his party, SDP.

It held that the petition filed by Oni against the return of Oyebanji and his deputy, Monisade Afuye “failed woefully”.

Oni, a former governor of Ekiti State, had challenged the election victory of Governor Oyebanji.

The former governor had claimed in his petition that Oyebanji’s election was characterised with irregularities.

He had also argued that it was wrong for the Mai Mala Buni-led APC leadership to have supervised the primary election process that led to Oyebanji’s emergence as the APC candidate.

The Star