Appeal Court Affirms Oyebanji As Ekiti Governor

The Court of Appeal sitting in Ado Ekiti yesterday affirmed Governor Biodun Oyebanji as duly elected governor of Ekiti State.

The appellate court upheld the verdict of the election petition tribunal which affirmed Oyebanji’s victory at the June 18 governorship election in the state.

Not satisfied with the outcome of the judgement of the lower court, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Chief Segun Oni had approached the appeal court for redress.

Justice Hamma Barka, in the virtual judgment said that the appellant, Oni failed to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt.

Barka, who led two other justices during the virtual court sitting held that the respondents, Oyebanji and his running mate, Monisade Afuye were duly elected as the governor and deputy governor of the state.

The judge said, “Governor Oyebanji was lawfully nominated as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and emerged the winner of the election conducted under a peaceful atmosphere.

“The Mai Mala Buni caretaker committee that conducted the primaries that produced Oyebanji was in line with the constitution of the party and it should be an internal issue not to be contested by another party.

“The petition challenging the certificate of the Deputy governorship candidate of the APC Monisade Afuye was a plan by the appellant to circumvent the rules of law as the respondents presented a valid certificate to the electoral body”.

Justice Barka added that the appellant failed to prove the forgery of certificate allegation against the deputy governor to a convincing level as it fails to present clear evidence to support the allegation.

Meanwhile, SDP candidate Oni has vowed to proceed to the Supreme Court to seek redress.

He said the judgement of the election petition tribunal and the appeal court that affirmed governor Oyebanji as the duly elected governor of Ekiti State will be particularly challenged at the apex court.