There was a mild drama at the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ado Ekiti, on Monday, as the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in the June 20 election, Amb. Isaac Adedayo Alade, withdrew his case challenging the victory of Governor Biodun Oyebanji against the party’s wish.
Another drama also played out at the tribunal during the cross examination, as an SDP agent and witness, Toluwalope Oluwandabira, couldn’t identify the name of the party’s flagbearer in the election, which was the principal reason for which he was brought to the tribunal to give evidence in respect of the poll.
At the inaugural sitting of the Election Petition Tribunal held last Monday, the candidate of the People’s Democratic, Dr. Oluwole Oluyede, who was the runner up in the election, had withdrawn his petition in the similar fashion and was subsequently struck out by the tribunal panelists accordingly .
The three-man tribunal, chaired by Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi, also has Justice Aminu Tukur and Justice Maurice Okediya.
During the tribunal proceeding held on Monday, the counsel to the SDP’s candidate and second petitioner, Barr Umar Abdulhamid, disclosed that he had filed a Motion on Notice dated 12th September, 2026 before the tribunal, notifying it of the second petitioner’s intention to discontinue with the petition.
Confounded by this action, counsel to the SDP and 1st petitioner, Adewole Adebayo, said the withdrawal was like an ambush, having not been aware of the candidate’s intention to step aside from the case, maintaining that he won’t oppose the application, since his backtracking would not in any way impede the party from pursuing the case.
In his ruling, Justice Kutigi, said: “The tribunal grants the application, having considered the Motion on Notice of the second petitioner in respect to his intention to withdraw from the petition. His name is hereby struck out of the petition.”
Commenting further on the abrupt withdrawal of the candidate, Adebayo, who is the SDP presidential candidate, said the party remained unfazed, adding that “If he stands his ground and said he wants to withdraw or discontinue, then we will have no reason to stop him. If he withdraws and decides to go home, he is free, it doesn’t stop us from continuing with the case.”
But Counsel to Governor Oyebanji and 2nd respondent, Adetunji Oso, argued that he won’t oppose the 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.
Meanwhile, Adetunji punctured the widespread notion being bandied around that the petitioners were withdrawing their petitions through coercion or intimidation, clarifying that the governor, as the Chief Security Officer won’t undermine, nor take action that can hinder free operation of the tribunal to dispense justice in the matter expeditiously.
However, during the trial, the SDP called seven witnesses to prosecute its case, after the panelists resumed from a 30- minute recess embarked on for the party to assemble its witnesses.
There was a mild drama in the Court, as a witness, Odabira Olumuyiwa, gave contradictory evidence, saying he monitored the poll as an agent at ward 2, unit 007, at Ikole Local Government without wearing Independent National Electoral Commission’s identification tag, as demanded by the Electoral Act, 2026.
In his testimony before the tribunal, another witness, Bamisaye Julius, who raised the issue of alleged massive vote buying, said he noticed people sharing money, but couldn’t ascertain precisely the amount being shared to sway voters and the actual persons that was responsible.
Another witness, Awoleye Sunday Samuel, revealed that though there were skirmishes at the polling unit among contending forces where he served as agent for the party, but clarified that such didn’t affect the successful conduct of the election.
In the petition filed by the Action Alliance (AA), the party’s chairman and the State Collation Agent, Elder Sunday Ajayi, under cross examination, stated that he was not issued any appointment letter to oversee the election, but claimed that he got the mandate of his party to serve in that capacity, being the number one party man in the state.
After calling seven witnesses, counsel to the petitioners requested for a short adjournment, which was granted by the tribunal, having not been opposed by the lawyers to the respondents.
At this stage, counsel to Governor Oyebanji, told the tribunal to be circumspect of the fact that election petition is sui generis, praying the panelists to impress it on the petitioners not to foot-drag and waste the time of the tribunal on this premise.
“My lord, they are hampering us. You have to tell them to present their witnesses who could give evidence based on where they worked during the election timely. We can’t waste the time of the court”.
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