Ekiti Election Petition Tribunal: INEC Opens Defence As Gov Oyebanji, Deputy Close Case

By Ayodele Oni

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun  Oyebanji and his Deputy, Mrs Monisade Afuye, closed their defence on Wednesday at the governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Ado-Ekiti.

The closure of their defence was announced by leading counsel, Lateef Fagbemi,  SAN at the resumed sitting of the tribunal.

Other respondents’ lawyers,  including the All Progressives Congress, (APC) Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are expected to start their defence as the tribunal adjourned sitting till Thursday, October 20.

Social Democratic Party (SDP)  candidate in the June 18 election, former Governor Segun Oni and his political party had filed the petition before the tribunal to discredit the election of Oyebanji and his deputy, Monisade Afuye.

The petitioners, Segun Oni and his party, called four witnesses to establish their case before the tribunal.

Among the four witnesses were Segun Oni himself and the Ekiti state SDP chairman, Bamidele Ekunola,  both of who alleged widespread irregularities in the election.

They alleged that the election was characterized by vote buying,  ballot snatching, chasing away of SDP polling agents, widespread violence and other electoral offences.

They however failed to mention a single polling unit or a ward where these malpractices were allegedly  perpetrated.

They also failed to mention the name of anybody they referred to as the agents of APC,  who committed the alleged electoral offences.

Former Governor Segun Oni also told the tribunal that he never lodged any complaint of the alleged irregularities with the police and that he didn’t witness any form of violence or vote buying on the day of election.

He said he returned home after he voted at his polling unit, where the exercise went smoothly.