The Social Democratic Party, SDP, candidate Chief Segun Oni, who is contesting the victory of the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, at the recently concluded governorship election in Ekiti State, has received two grants from the Ekiti State Election Petitions Tribunal, which is located in Ado-Ekiti.
Justice Sa’ad I. Zadawa (Member 1), Justice Jacob A. Atsen, and Justice Wilfred I. Kpochi served as the tribunal’s chairman, member 1, and vice chairman, respectively (Member 2).
The tribunal granted the prayers of the SDP candidate, Segun Oni, in the motion ex-parte: “an order of leave to effect the service of the petitioner and other processes in the proceedings on the 1st, 3rd and 5th respondents by substituted means, through the national secretary or any other officer of the All Progressives Congress, APC at No. 40, Blantyre Crescent Wuse 2, Abuja FCT”.
Also, the tribunal granted “an order permitting the applicant or its agents for the purpose of prosecuting its petition to take certified true copies and conduct manual/physical inspection of all electoral materials used in the conduct of the governorship election into the office of the Governorship of Ekiti State held on 18th June 2022, in all the 16 LGAs of Ekiti State.
The grounds are the pillars that support the applicant’s petitions to continue his petitions at the tribunal, according to the tribunal’s chairman, Justice Wilfred I. Kpochi, who read the verdict.
He claims that they found merit in the motion ex-parte and ordered INEC to grant the petitioner unrestricted access to inspect all of the ballots, the BVAS, and voter registration records among other election materials.
In order for the election petition tribunal’s procedures to be successful, Justice Kpochi, the tribunal’s chairman, had earlier requested all parties’ cooperation and stated that there should be no distractions.
Mr. Oluwayomi Ojo, on behalf of the petitioner, wished the tribunal justices a good stay and expressed his belief that justice would be served at the conclusion of the tribunal. The Solicitor-General in Ekiti State, Mr. Lawrence Ojo, welcomed the tribunal justices to Ekiti and wished them a successful deliberation.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Moronkeji Adesina, was represented by Mr. F.D. Falade, O.C. Legal Police, who stated that all security precautions had been taken to guarantee the justices’ smooth stay in Ekiti.
A group of attorneys, including Barristers Biodun Fasakin, Owoseni Ajayi, Marakinyo Ogele, and many others, defended the petitioner, Chief Segun Oni, the SDP candidate.
