UPDATED: Tribunal Shifts Date For Judgment On Ekiti Governorship Election

The Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ado Ekiti has shifted from Wednesday, December 28  to Thursday, December 29 for delivering judgment on the June 18 governorship election.

The tribunal communicated the shifted date to the parties in the matter on Tuesday night.

Segun Oni,  the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), had filed a petition against the winner of the election, Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), alleging that he scored the highest number of valid votes and APC didn’t have a governorship candidate.

Oni said the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala-Buni who signed the nomination form of Oyebanji and who was also superintendent over the APC governorship primaries contravened section 183 of the 1999 Constitution by accepting to be the APC National Caretaker Chairman.

He said section 183 of the 1999 Constitution stated explicitly that a sitting governor shall not accept any other executive position while in office.

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Oni also said Mrs Monisade Afuye now Deputy governor presented fake WAEC results to the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC).

Oni’s counsel, Mr Owoseeni Ajayi told the tribunal that according to Section 136 of the Evident Act, the burden of proof was on Mrs Afuye to defend herself against the allegation and since she refused to come to the tribunal to clear herself of the allegation, her quietness and refusal to defend herself of the allegation is an admission of guilt in law.

The three-member tribunal led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi had on November 23 reserved judgment after listening to the sides in the matter.

Judgment was reserved after the presentation and adoption of written addresses by the parties.

But the led counsel to the former governor Segun Oni, Chief Obafemi Adewale, SAN reported the tribunal judgement will be delivered tomorrow, Thursday, December 29.

The SDP State Publicity Secretary, Ganiu Salau, on Tuesday, said, “Our expectation is very high based on the grounds of the demand we presented at the court ranging from the certificate issue against the deputy governor, Mrs. Monisade Afuye, and faulty nomination process of Oyebanji and his deputy.

 “We have had the two judgments to the level of Supreme Court on the grounds of our demands and our case will not be the exemption as precedence has been established.

“So, these give us hope that we are going to get a favourable judgment. We believe in the judiciary which is the last hope of the common man. We expect the tribunal to deliver the judgment in accordance with the dictates of the law.”

But the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, maintained that there is nothing to worry about in the petition, claiming that the APC and the governor had proven their case beyond all reasonable doubts at the tribunal.

Oyebode said, “We are optimistic of victory. The reason is that the election that brought Oyebanji as the governor was overwhelming. The people voted massively for him. So, the mandate is genuine and was freely given through a free, fair, credible, and rancour-free democratic process.

“With all our trust in God, I believe we will triumph at the tribunal because we are children of success, not failure.”

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