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The Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate in the June 20, 2026, Ekiti State governorship election, Isaac Alade, has withdrawn his petition challenging the victory of Governor Biodun Oyebanji at the election tribunal.

According to reports, Alade’s decision came despite the position of the SDP that the legal challenge should continue.

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.

However, counsel to the SDP, Adewole Adebayo, said he was unaware that Alade intended to withdraw from the case, describing the development as an “ambush.”

Despite his objection to the manner in which the decision was reached, Adebayo said the party would not oppose Alade’s application to withdraw.

He maintained that Alade’s decision would not prevent the SDP from pursuing its legal challenge against the election result.

“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, presided over by Justice Idris Kutigi, subsequently granted the application and struck Alade’s name out of the petition.

In his ruling, Kutigi said the panel had considered the motion filed by the SDP candidate and accepted his decision to discontinue the case.

“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.

Meanwhile, 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Oso also rejected suggestions that candidates who had withdrawn their petitions were being pressured or intimidated into abandoning their cases.

He said Governor Oyebanji, in his capacity 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 comes about a week after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate and runner-up in the election, Oluwole Oluyede, also withdrew his petition challenging the outcome.

Following Oluyede’s decision, the tribunal struck his name out of the petition during its inaugural sitting last Monday.