Ekiti Tribunal Judgement: Oni Vows To Appeal Judgement, Tells Ekiti APC Not To Rejoice Yet

By Olarewaju Falayi

Engineer Olusegun Adebayo Oni, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in the June 18th, 2022 governorship election in Ekiti State has vowed to appeal against the judgment of the Ekiti State Election Tribunal which was delivered earlier on Thursday, and which gave victory to the incumbent Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji with a warning to the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti State not to rejoice yet. 

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Oni, who gave the above position while speaking through his lead counsel, Barrister Owoseeni Ajayi at the premises of the Ekiti State Election Tribunal on Thursday, said, “Engineer Olusegun Adebayo Oni of the SDP is set to appeal the judgment of the Election Petition Tribunal”.

Earlier on Thursday, the Election Petition Tribunal had upheld the election of Governor Biodun Oyebanji and his Deputy, Chief Mrs. Monisade Afuye.

Speaking further on the Tribunal Judgement, Barrister Owoseeni Ajayi  told journalists in Ado-Ekiti, on Thursday while fielding questions, and described the judgement as unexpected saying that some crucial issues raised in the petition were overlooked by the three Justices of the Tribunal Panel. 

Ajayi said that they will definitely appeal the judgement adding that the APC camp should not rejoice yet. 

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His words: “Our reaction to say the least is that it’s unexpected. Most of the crucial issues raised in respect to the petition were not attended to. 

“So, we are going to definitely appeal against the judgement. We should know that we have three legs of court. This is the court of the first hearing. We have the Court of Appeal and also have the Supreme Court. 

“This people should not rejoice yet because you realize that most of the petitions where Governor’s were removed was done by the Supreme Court.

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“The case of Zamfara State, the APC governor won at the lower court, won in the Court of Appeal but the Supreme Court threw out the case. The case of Bayelsa State, they won at the lower court, they won at the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court dethroned them. Even in the case of Wike, it was the Supreme Court that enthroned him. 

“I will advice them not to rejoice yet over this matter because we are definitely going to appeal the matter. And Supreme Court will touch areas they deliberately left unattended to in this judgement. So, that is our position and that is our comment”, he ended. 

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