The Ekiti State Election Tribunal upholds the election of Governor Oyebanji
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Biodun Oyebanji won the state’s June governorship election, according to the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which is currently in session in Ado Ekiti.
The three-person panel, which was presided over by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, determined that Segun Oni, a candidate for the Social Democratic Party, had made unspecific and unfounded claims of vote trading, election manipulation, and procedural violations.
The tribunal also rejected the APC’s request to have the deputy governorship candidate disqualified for allegedly forging certificates. The tribunal reasoned that the request was not made within the legally required 21-day window and that adding new evidence and arguments in the middle of the proceeding would violate injunctions.
The tribunal also rejected the notion that Oyebanji and his running companion were legitimately chosen at the party’s primary despite Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni signing his nomination form as the party’s national chairman.
Oyebanji defeated his two closest rivals, Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Bisi Kolawole of the People’s Democratic Party, with a total of 187,057 votes. With 82,211 votes overall, the SDP came in second, and the PDP took third with 67,457 votes.
