Ekiti 2022: Oyebanji, APC, Others File Application At Tribunal

Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal yesterday adjourned sitting till September 15 to give room to parties before it to respond to the applications filed at the registry.

The Chairman of the three-member tribunal, Justice Wilfred Kpochi, adjourned sitting in a short ruling after being informed by counsel for the parties of applications waiting to be moved.

The ruling came after the petitioner and candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Segun Oni, an engineer; had adopted the pre-hearing information sheet earlier filed before the tribunal.

Respondents in the suit are the Governor-elect, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji (1st), All Progressives Congress (APC) (2nd), Alhaji Mai Mala Buni and APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) (3rd), Independent National Electoral Commission (4th) and the Deputy Governor-elect, Mrs. Monisade Afuye (5th).

The tribunal was told that Oyebanji, Oni, APC, Buni, CECPC and Afuye had filed applications pending at the tribunal registry, which must be responded to.

Oni’s pre-hearing information sheet dated September 2 was adopted by his counsel, Mr. Obafemi Adewale (SAN).

Counsel for the 1st and 5th respondents, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), counsel for the 2nd respondent, Alhaji Lasun Sanusi (SAN), counsel for the 3rd respondent, Mr. Shaibu Aruwa (SAN) and counsel for the 4th respondent, Mr. Charles Edosomwan (SAN) moved and adopted their answers in response to the petitioners’ pre-hearing information sheet.

After consultations with the two other judges on the panel, Justice S. I. Zadawa and Justice J. A. Atsen, the Chairman, Justice Kpochi, adjourned sitting till September 15 in view of the pending applications.