Ekiti poll: Evidence before tribunal enough to give Oni victory ― SDP

The Social Democratic Party(SDP) in Ekiti State has said that the evidence presented before the election petition tribunal is enough to secure victory for the candidate of the party for the June 18 governorship election, Chief Segun Oni.

Oni who came second in the poll is challenging the victory of Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress over alleged irregularities associated with the election.

The SDP Public Relations Officer, Gani Salau in a statement on Tuesday explained that the antics of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and its leadership to frustrate the petition before the tribunal would be resisted by the party.

He explained that the party among other things is contesting the nomination of Oyebanji for the election by the former caretaker chairman of the APC and governor of Yobe state, Mai Mala Buni and the alleged certificate forgery of the deputy governor-elect, Mrs Monisade Afuye.

The SDP said, “The APC are jittery on the ongoing tribunal case based on the grounds of what we presented and requested before the tribunal ranging from certificate forgery of Oyebanji’s running mate and their nominations for the June 18 gubernatorial election by the former National Chairman of the APC and the Governor of Yobe state, Mai Mala Buni which was declared illegal by the supreme court earlier on Akeredolu vs Jegede and the recent Federal High Court declaration of the candidature of the governor of Osun state, Oyetola as illegal further makes APC and their co-travellers sleepless night.

“Ekiti State is known to be the land of honour and how do we reconcile this with the running mate of APC candidate in the election who submitted a fake school certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission as the requirement for the June 18 gubernatorial election in Ekiti State? This is great impunity which must not stand in Ekiti.

“The enormous and weighty evidence before the tribunal as adjudicated on earlier as precedences before the tribunal is enough to give the Social Democratic Party and the gubernatorial candidate in the June 18 election, Chief Segun Oni a resounding victory as the next Governor of Ekiti State.”

He called on the stakeholders and citizens, “to keep watching the covert and overt activities of the outgoing administration on his desperation to pervert justice as the ongoing tribunal case resumes its sitting this week and other substituent cases unfold.”

But, the APC Publicity Secretary, Segun Dipe, who said SDP members were deluding themselves, noted that the ruling party have confidence in the judiciary and that they would not do anything to undermine the decision of the tribunal.

Dipe said, “If their evidence is okay and they trust it, they should rely on it and let them keep celebrating in futility. Let them keep deluding themselves that somebody is having sleepless nights.

“We cannot influence the decision of the tribunal. If SDP can influence it by all their saying, we wish them well. Let SDP go out and be saying what they are saying to influence the decision. As far as we are concerned, we have confidence in the law of the land, the court and the tribunal that they will do the right thing. We trust them and we believe in what they will do.”

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