The Election Petition Tribunal handling the governorship dispute in Ekiti State has adjourned sitting for a week to enable the petitioners to assemble more witnesses to prosecute their case.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, counsel to the Action Alliance and Social Democratic Party, Dr Chukwudebelu Nnamdi, made an oral application for a one-week adjournment to enable him to assemble more witnesses and attend to some pressing legal issues that could facilitate the expeditious trial of the case.
In his oral application, Dr Nnamdi said, “My Lords, I had earlier told you about my predicament, which borders on some internal issues in the SDP regarding our witnesses. You have seen for yourselves the burdens we have passed through to present witnesses here.
“I humbly request an adjournment until next Thursday, so that I will be able to attend to some of these issues.”
The Chairman of the three-member tribunal, Justice Abubakar Kutigi, in his ruling on the oral application, granted the request and said the panel would reconvene on 15 October 2026 to continue with the hearing of the case.
“We are very cognisant of our time, so we plead with INEC to get ready, so that as soon as the petitioners finish presenting witnesses, then the first respondent can start its defence immediately and without delay.
“This application is granted, but we are making it clear that we won’t allow any waste of time as provided by the schedules. Election petitions are time-bound, and we need to work in line with the provisions of the law,” he said.
In their responses, counsel to Governor Biodun Oyebanji, Adetunji Oso, SAN, and the Independent National Electoral Commission, Tunde Salako, did not object to the application.
They averred that their favourable disposition was predicated on the fact that the one-week adjournment was still within the six weeks allotted by the tribunal for the petitioners to present witnesses in court.
Specifically, Oso urged the petitioners to be conscious of time, saying the one-week adjournment would be sufficient for them to put their house in order.
“With this one week, they will now have sufficient time to make up their minds and do the right thing. Again, it is still within the six weeks given for them to prosecute their case.”
Before the ruling, counsel to the petitioners called an SDP witness, Lawrence Ogunbanwo, to testify in court.
While being cross-examined, the witness said he voted on election day at Unit 10, Agbado/Oyo Ward, in Ikere-Ekiti, without inducement or interference, and that he was duly accredited by INEC officials.
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