There was drama at the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ado-Ekiti on Monday as the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate, Amb. Isaac Adedayo Alade, withdrew his petition challenging the victory of Governor Biodun Oyebanji in the June 20 election.
Counsel to Alade, Barrister Umar Abdulhamid, informed the three-man tribunal, led by Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi, that his client had filed a Motion on Notice dated September 12, 2026, indicating his intention to discontinue the petition. The application was granted, with the tribunal ordering that Alade’s name be struck out of the petition.
The development reportedly caught the SDP counsel, Adewole Adebayo, unawares, as he described the withdrawal as an ambush, saying he had not been informed of the candidate’s decision. Adebayo, however, said he would not oppose the application, stressing that Alade’s withdrawal would not stop the party from pursuing the case. Counsel to Governor Oyebanji, Adetunji Oso, also did not oppose the application, arguing that the candidate had exercised his legal right in accordance with the Electoral Act, 2026. Oso further dismissed insinuations that the petitioners were withdrawing their cases under coercion or intimidation.
In another dramatic moment, an SDP witness and agent, Toluwalope Oluwandabira, reportedly failed to identify the name of the party’s governorship candidate when questioned during proceedings. Other witnesses also gave evidence on alleged irregularities during the election. Odabira Olumuyiwa, who claimed to have monitored the election as an agent at Ward 2, Unit 007, Ikole Local Government Area, gave evidence that raised questions over his compliance with the requirement to wear an INEC identification tag. Another witness, Bamisaye Julius, who alleged massive vote buying, admitted that although he saw people sharing money, he could not ascertain the amount involved or identify those responsible for the alleged inducement.
The SDP called seven witnesses after the tribunal granted a 30-minute recess to enable the party to assemble them. One of the witnesses, Awoleye Sunday Samuel, told the tribunal that there were skirmishes at the polling unit where he served as an agent, but clarified that the incidents did not prevent the election from being successfully conducted. In the petition filed by the Action Alliance (AA), the party chairman and state collation agent, Elder Sunday Ajayi, also admitted under cross-examination that he was not issued an appointment letter to serve as collation agent, although he claimed he received the mandate from the party because he was its highest-ranking member in the state.
The proceedings were further adjourned after counsel to the petitioners requested a short adjournment following the testimony of the seven witnesses. Counsel to Governor Oyebanji urged the tribunal to ensure that the petitioners did not unnecessarily delay the proceedings, reminding the panel that election petitions are sui generis and must be handled within strict timelines. He urged the tribunal to compel the petitioners to present witnesses with direct knowledge of the areas where they worked during the election, saying, “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.”
