Ekiti SDP Candidate Withdraws Petition Against Oyebanji

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate in the June 20, 2026, Ekiti State governorship election, Isaac Alade, has withdrawn his petition challenging the victory of Governor Biodun Oyebanji at the election tribunal.

Naija News reports that Alade’s decision came despite the SDP’s opposition to the withdrawal.

At Monday’s sitting of the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Alade’s counsel, Umar Abdulhamid, informed the three-member panel that his client had filed a Motion on Notice dated September 12, seeking to discontinue the petition.

Counsel to the SDP, Adewole Adebayo, said he was not aware that Alade intended to withdraw from the case, describing the development as an “ambush.”

Despite objecting to how the decision was made, Adebayo said the party would not challenge the application.

He stressed that Alade’s withdrawal would not prevent the SDP from continuing with the legal challenge.

“We will have no reason to stop him. If he withdraws and decides to go home, he is free. It does not stop us (SDP) from continuing with the case,” Adebayo said.

The tribunal, led by Justice Idris Kutigi, subsequently granted the application and removed Alade’s name from the petition.

Delivering the ruling, Kutigi said the panel had considered the motion filed by the SDP candidate and accepted his decision to withdraw.

“The tribunal grants the application, having considered the Motion on Notice of the second petitioner (SDP candidate) in respect of his intention to withdraw from the petition.

“His name is hereby struck out of the petition,” the judge ruled.

Counsel to Governor Oyebanji, Adetunji Oso, said his client had no objection to the withdrawal, arguing that Alade was exercising a right permitted under the Electoral Act 2026.

Oso also dismissed suggestions that candidates who had withdrawn their petitions were being pressured or intimidated into doing so.

He said the governor, as the state’s chief security officer, would not interfere with the tribunal’s proceedings.

“The governor, as the chief security officer of the state, won’t undermine or take any action that can hinder the free operation of the tribunal to dispense justice in the matter expeditiously,” he said.

Alade’s withdrawal came a week after the Peoples Democratic Party candidate and election runner-up, Oluwole Oluyede, also withdrew his petition.

Oluyede’s name was subsequently struck out of the petition by the tribunal at its inaugural sitting last Monday.