Ekiti Tribunal: Isaac Alade Withdraws Ekiti Election Petition

• Isaac Alade, the Social Democratic Party candidate in the June 20, 2026, Ekiti State governorship election, has withdrawn his petition challenging Governor Biodun Oyebanji's victory.
• The Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, led by Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi, granted Alade's application and struck his name from the petition.
• Despite Alade's personal withdrawal, the Social Democratic Party, through its counsel Adewole Adebayo, confirmed its intention to continue the election challenge.
• Governor Oyebanji's counsel, Adetunji Oso, stated that Alade exercised his legal right under the Electoral Act 2026 and dismissed claims of coercion.
• This follows a previous withdrawal by Oluwole Oluyede, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, at the tribunal's inaugural sitting.

Crucially, he affirmed that Alade's exit would not deter the SDP from continuing its election challenge.

The Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal recently saw a significant procedural turn as Isaac Alade, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate in the June 20, 2026, Ekiti State governorship election, formally withdrew his challenge against Governor Biodun Oyebanji's victory. Alade's counsel, Umar Abdulhamid, informed the tribunal on a Monday session that his client had submitted a Motion on Notice, dated September 12, 2026, indicating his desire to discontinue the petition. This development marks a crucial step in the ongoing legal proceedings following the gubernatorial poll.

Despite the SDP's stated opposition to his withdrawal, the tribunal, presided over by Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi, moved to grant Alade's application. The three-member panel, after reviewing the Motion on Notice, confirmed the petitioner's intent to step back from the case. Consequently, Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi announced the tribunal's decision to strike Alade's name from the petition, effectively removing him as a petitioner in the challenge against Governor Oyebanji. This action by the Ekiti governorship election tribunal underscores the procedural rights of petitioners to withdraw their involvement in electoral disputes.

The withdrawal of Isaac Alade, however, does not signal the end of the challenge mounted by the Social Democratic Party. Adewole Adebayo, who serves as counsel for the SDP and is also the party's presidential candidate, expressed his lack of prior knowledge regarding Alade's decision, characterizing it as an unexpected move. Despite this, Adebayo clarified that the party would not contest the application for withdrawal. Crucially, he affirmed that Alade's exit would not deter the SDP from continuing its election challenge.

Adebayo emphasized that the party remained unconcerned by its candidate's choice to withdraw, stating that while Alade was free to discontinue his personal involvement, this action would not impede the party's pursuit of the case. This position highlights a key aspect of the Electoral Act 2026 petition withdrawal provisions, where a candidate's personal decision to withdraw does not automatically extinguish the political party's right to continue a petition. The Adewole Adebayo SDP petition strategy appears to leverage this distinction, ensuring the party's grievances against the election outcome can still be heard.

Representing Governor Biodun Oyebanji, counsel Adetunji Oso, indicated that he would not oppose Alade's application to withdraw. Oso affirmed that the petitioner was exercising a legitimate legal right, consistent with the provisions outlined in the Electoral Act 2026. He also took the opportunity to refute allegations circulating in some circles that petitioners were being coerced or intimidated into withdrawing their cases.

Oso further asserted that Governor Oyebanji, as the state's chief security officer, would not engage in any actions that could undermine or obstruct the tribunal's ability to operate freely and dispense justice expeditiously. This instance of an Isaac Alade withdraws Ekiti election petition is not isolated; the tribunal had previously seen the withdrawal of another significant challenger. At its inaugural sitting, Oluwole Oluyede, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate and runner-up in the election, also withdrew his petition, leading to his name being struck from the proceedings by the tribunal.

This development highlights a crucial procedural point in Nigerian election petitions: a candidate's withdrawal does not automatically preclude their political party from continuing the challenge. Lawyers advising parties or candidates should note this distinction, particularly regarding strategic decisions on petition continuation under the Electoral Act 2026, even if the named petitioner withdraws.

Source: Original reporting via PUNCH