A-Court affirms Oyebanji as Ekiti gov

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A-Court affirms Oyebanji as Ekiti gov

THE Court of Appeal, in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, confirmed Biodun Oyebanji as the duly elected governor of Ekiti State.

The Social Democratic Party, SDP, candidate, Segun Oni, had approached the Appeal Court, having been dissatisfied with the judgement of the lower court.

Justice Hamma Barka, in the judgement, which was delivered virtually, said that the appellant, Segun Oni, failed to prove his case beyond a reasonable doubt.

He held that the respondents, Biodun Oyebanji and Monisade Afuye, were duly elected as the governor and deputy governor of the state.

Justice Barka added that 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.

He said that the Mai Mala Bini caretaker committee that conducted the primary that produced Oyebanji was in line with the constitution of the party and it should be an internal issue not to be contested by other parties.

Justice Barka noted that 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.

He said 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.

Oni rejects judgement, heads for S-Court

But rejecting the verdict, the SDP candidate, Mr Oni has said that he would proceed to the Supreme Court to seek redress.

Spokesperson Segun Oni’s campaign, Jackson Adebayo told newsmen that the SDP candidate would fight for his right to the last stage of the judiciary.

Also reacting, Oni’s Counsel, Mr Owoseni Ajayi said: “We are going to appeal this case at the Supreme Court.”