Ekiti Tribunal Strikes Out PDP Petition Challenging Oyebanji’s Victory

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the June 20, 2026 Ekiti State election, Oluwole Oluyede, has withdrawn his petition challenging the re-election of Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Naija News reports that the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal subsequently struck out the case at its inaugural sitting in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday following an application by Oluyede and the PDP.

Speaking after the proceedings, Oluyede said he abandoned the legal challenge following appeals from President Bola Tinubu and other individuals he described as important to him.

He also said he intended to work towards Tinubu’s victory in the forthcoming presidential election, while insisting he remained a member of the PDP.

Oluyede had approached the tribunal after the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Oyebanji the winner of the June 20 governorship election.

However, before the substantive hearing commenced, the PDP candidate filed a motion seeking to withdraw the case.

His lawyer, Paul Komolafe, who also appeared for the PDP, moved the application before the three-member panel comprising Justices Abubakar Idris Kutigi, Aminu Tukur and Maurice Okediya.

Counsel for Oyebanji, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN); the APC; and INEC lawyer, Sulaiman Ibrahim, raised no objection to the withdrawal.

The tribunal chairman, Justice Kutigi, consequently struck out the petition.

Explaining his decision to journalists after the sitting, Oluyede said he believed ending the litigation would allow political actors to concentrate on the development of Ekiti State and the country.

“My decision to withdraw the petition was based on the fact that what Ekiti and Nigeria need now is to seek the way forward,” he said.

Oluyede maintained that the decision was difficult because he believed his petition had merit, but said appeals from Tinubu and others persuaded him to reconsider.

He further stated, “It’s not easy to withdraw your petition when you know you have a case, but I took the action at the request of people who are important to me, I mean President Bola Tinubu and several advisers.

“They have all asked me to withdraw the matter and advised that everybody should come together and let the President win the next election and bring Ekiti forward.”

Despite pledging to support Tinubu, Oluyede said he had not left the opposition PDP.

“I am a member of the PDP and remain a member, and we have an election in January for President Tinubu,” he said.

He argued that Ekiti’s development should transcend political affiliation, saying stakeholders needed to cooperate in the state’s interest.

“We have a lot of things to do in Ekiti, and it will take the efforts of everybody. It should not be a partisan thing,” he added.

Oluyede also said Oyebanji reached out to him after the election.

“Governor Oyebanji too has extended a hand of friendship across to me, and we will work together when the election comes and see how things go. It’s just for the betterment of Ekiti and Nigeria,” he said.

Although Oluyede’s case has ended, two other candidates are still challenging Oyebanji’s victory.

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its governorship candidate, Isaac Adebayo Alade, as well as the Action Alliance (AA) and its candidate, Matthew Olu Omotoso, have petitions pending before the tribunal.

The panel adjourned until Thursday for a ruling on the pre-hearing report involving the parties and fixed Monday, September 14, for the commencement of hearing in the substantive petitions.

Kutigi directed the petitioners’ lawyers to ensure respondents were served promptly and that their witnesses were available when proceedings begin.