By Adeyemi Adekunle, Abuja.
The Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has dismissed the petition filed by the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Segun Oni, against the victory of Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the June 18 gubernatorial poll.
Oyebanji, the sitting state governor, had polled a total of 187,057 votes to thwart Oni, who came second with 82,211 votes.
However, Oni, on July 7, filed a petition at the tribunal to challenge Oyebanji’s victory.
He pivoted his case on alleged irregularities by the APC candidate through voter inducement, and bypass of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) at some polling stations.
Oni also disputed the authenticity of the WAEC certificate presented by the APC deputy governorship candidate, Monisade Afuye.
But in the judgment delivered on Thursday, December 29, in Ado-Ekiti, the tribunal dismissed the petition.
The Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led panel noted that Oni’s petition against the return of Oyebanji and Afuye, respectively, “failed woefully head or tail.”
The tribunal also settled all issues in the argument against Oni and his party, the SDP.
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