THE Independent National Electoral Commission’s lack of witnesses yesterday halted further action on the petition submitted by the Social Democratic Party at the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petitions.
In the appeal, the Social Democratic Party requested that the tribunal declare SDP candidate Segun Oni to be the legitimate victor of the June 18 governorship election instead of All Progressives Congress candidate Biodun Oyebanji, who had been declared the winner by INEC.
INEC, whose witnesses were among those slated for Wednesday, had brought a motion on Tuesday, which the tribunal resolved to hear on Monday.
When it came time for SDP to call a second witness for the day, however, Obafemi Adewale, SAN, the SDP and Oni’s attorney, argued the witness could not testify just yet because the INEC witnesses were essential to his case.
In a brief decision on Adewale’s request that the second SDP witness be excused from testifying because INEC’s witnesses were not present, the Tribunal Chairman, Justice Wilfred Kpochi, ordered that the second SDP witness’ testimony be withheld for the time being while adjourning the case until Thursday.
In an earlier testimony before the tribunal, SDP State Chairman Dr. Bamidele Ekunola criticized the election and the outcome announced by INEC, saying, “The SDP candidate scored the highest lawful votes in the June 18 poll, adding that the election witnessed widespread voters’ inducement by APC and its candidate.
SDP counsel, Adewale, said, “We were expected to call the INEC witnesses today, but INEC brought a motion which we understand that they do not want to come and give evidence, but that motion has not been taken, it has been adjourned till Monday, because they only served the motion on Tuesday.
“Proceedings will continue on Thursday (today). We will continue with our witnesses. We thought we could bring one of the witnesses for tomorrow (Thursday), but the counsel to the respondents opposed that idea, but the tribunal said that to be orderly, it is better for the witnesses listed for tomorrow (Thursday) to come tomorrow (Thursday)”, Adewale said.
But counsel to Oyebanji, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, told journalists, “The petitioners were unable to go on with their case because they were not adequately prepared for what transpired in court. They could not call the witnesses they had submitted to the tribunal”.
