Ekiti lawmakers laud judiciary over Oyebanji’s victory at election tribunal

Ekiti House of Assembly has lauded the judiciary for validating Gov. Biodun Oyebanji’s victory and the APC in the June 18 governorship election.

The suit challenging the victory was instituted by Mr Segun Oni, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Governorship candidate.

The Assembly said the judiciary had again exemplified itself as a true defender and bulwark of democracy in the country, by dispensing verdict in Oyebanji’s favour, as the winner of the election.

This is contained in a statement by the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Adeoye Aribasoye, on Thursday in Ado-Ekiti.

Aribasoye, in the statement, expressed confidence that the favourable judgment would serve as a morale booster for the governor and his team.

The assembly said the judiciary, having painstakingly resolved all the contentious issues and grounds raised by Oni and SDP, in the APC and the governor’s favour, corroborated the fact that Oyebanji was not clinching onto any stolen mandate.

The assembly, therefore, called on the members of the opposition, particularly, the former governor (Oni), to join hands with Oyebanji to take Ekiti to enviable height in terms of economic prosperity and human capital development.

“We congratulate Governor Oyebanji and his Deputy, Mrs Monisade Afuye, on their deserved and resounding victory at the Election Petition Tribunal.

“We are elated that the judiciary had demonstrated bravery that the APC and its candidate were the actual winners of the last Ekiti governorship poll.

“We salute the judiciary for this victory and Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led Tribunal demonstrated uncommon will expected of any respectable jurist and validated the mandate freely given by Ekiti people to Governor Oyebanji at the poll,” the statement said.

The statement also appealed to APC and its members to be magnanimous in victory as they have always done.

The assembly assured that Oyebanji was ready to work with the opposition with open arms and that this uncommon gesture must be reciprocated in the interest of Ekiti people.

INEC declared Gov. Biodun Oyebanji, the APC candidate, as the winner of the June 18, governorship poll, prompting Mr Segun Oni of SDP to challenge the victory at Election Petition Tribunal.