The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, has declined a request to relocate the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal from Ado-Ekiti to another venue. The request was made by counsel to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ebenezer Akinbuli, citing alleged security concerns. This development stalled the expected commencement of proceedings on Wednesday.
The SDP counsel was absent from the tribunal, and Akinbuli had sought another adjournment pending the determination of the request to relocate the sitting. However, Chairman of the three-member tribunal, Justice Abubakar Kutigi, informed the parties that the President of the Court of Appeal had declined to order the transfer of the tribunal sitting. The panel is properly constituted to continue hearing the petitions in the state.
Counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kabir Akingbolu, and counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Bunmi Ipinlaiye, claimed they were not aware of the purported decision of the Court of Appeal. The decision was said to have been served through the tribunal’s secretary. To avoid uncertainty, Justice Kutigi adjourned proceedings until Thursday, September 24, for continuation of the hearing.
Akingbolu explained that the request for relocation was made by the SDP in respect of its petition and did not concern the Action Alliance (AA) petition. He described the petition challenging the victory of Governor Biodun Oyebanji in the June 20 governorship election as unusual, citing the wide margin of victory recorded by the governor across the state.
Governor Oyebanji won all 16 local government areas and most of the 177 wards. Akingbolu questioned the basis of the petitions filed against the election, alleging that repeated requests for adjournment and other applications were delaying the hearing of the substantive issues before the tribunal. He urged the petitioners to allow the proceedings to take their course.
The tribunal’s proceedings were initially set to commence on September 16. However, the SDP counsel wrote a letter seeking an adjournment and a change of venue due to security concerns. The court has now adjourned the matter to September 24 for continuation at the instance of the petitioners.
The Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal is set to continue its hearing on September 24. Key parties involved include the SDP, APC, INEC, and Governor Biodun Oyebanji. The tribunal’s proceedings will determine the outcome of the petitions filed against the governor’s election victory.
Key points
- The Court of Appeal President declined a request to relocate the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
- The tribunal’s proceedings will continue in Ado-Ekiti on September 24.
- The SDP petition challenges Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s victory in the June 20 governorship election.
