Ekiti tribunal: SDP gov candidate withdraws petition against Oyebanji

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The candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the June 20 Ekiti governorship election, Isaac Alade, on Monday withdrew his case challenging the victory of Governor Biodun Oyebanji against the party’s wishes.

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Counsel to the SDP candidate, Umar Abdulhamid, told the tribunal that he had filed a Motion on Notice dated September 12, 2026, notifying it of the petitioner’s intention to discontinue the petition.

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But counsel to the SDP, Adewole Adebayo, who said he was not aware of the candidate’s plan, said the withdrawal was like an ambush.

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Adebayo said he would not oppose the application, since the candidate’s decision would not in any way impede the party from pursuing the case.

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In his ruling, the three-member panel’s chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi, said, “The tribunal grants the application, having considered the Motion on Notice of the second petitioner (SDP candidate) in respect of his intention to withdraw from the petition. His name is hereby struck out of the petition”.

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Commenting on the governorship candidate’s withdrawal, Adewole, the SDP presidential flagbearer, who said the party was not bothered by the candidate’s withdrawal, said, “We will have no reason to stop him. If he withdraws and decides to go home, he is free; it does not stop us (SDP) from continuing with the case”.

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Counsel to Governor Oyebanji, Adetunji Oso, said he would not oppose the SDP candidate’s application on the premise that it was undertaken in firm alignment with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, and that the candidate only exercised his legal right.

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Oso, who faulted the notion in some quarters that the petitioners were withdrawing their petitions through coercion or intimidation, clarified that “the governor, as the chief security officer of the state, won’t undermine, nor take any action that can hinder free operation of the tribunal to dispense justice in the matter expeditiously”.

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Recall that at the inaugural sitting of the Election Petition Tribunal held last Monday, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Dr Oluwole Oluyede, who was the runner-up in the election, withdrew his petition in a similar fashion and was subsequently struck out by the tribunal.

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