The Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, has upheld Biodun Oyebanji’s victory at the governorship election held on June 18, 2022.
Oyebanji who was the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), polled a total of 187,057 votes to defeat his two closest challengers – Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Bisi Kolawole of the People’s Democratic Party.
The SDP emerged in second place with total votes of 82,211 while the PDP was third with 67,457 votes.
Dissatisfied with the outcome of the poll, Oni filed a petition against Oyebanji and the APC before a three-member tribunal chaired by Wilfred Kpochi.
Oni had claimed in his petition that Oyebanji’s election was characterised by irregularities.
He also argued that it was wrong for the Mai Mala Buni-led APC leadership to have supervised the primary that produced Oyebanji as the governorship candidate.
Additionally, he alleged that Monisade Afuye, now Ekiti deputy governor, presented fake WAEC results to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, the panel dismissed Oni’s petition.
Kpochi, chairman of the tribunal, held that Oni failed to prove the allegations against the respondents.
“The validity of the certificate or qualification of the 5th respondent (Afuye) remains unhurt,” the judge held.
“The petitioners have been unable to prove that she presented a forged certificate.
“We dismiss the issue of corrupt practices in the election. The appellants did not call any witness from any polling unit or ward.”
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