Ekiti tribunal considers relocation after alleged assault on counsel

The Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has adjourned further hearing of the petition challenging the outcome of the 2026 governorship election following an application by the petitioners seeking the relocation of the proceedings over an alleged assault on counsel to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The three-member tribunal, chaired by Justice Abubakar Kutigi, adjourned the matter until September 23, 2026, to allow the President of the Court of Appeal to determine the petitioners’ request for the transfer of the case to another venue they consider safe.

Speaking with journalists after Wednesday’s proceedings, counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Biodun Oyebanji, Adetunji Osho, SAN, said counsel to the petitioners, Ebenezer Akinbule, appeared before the tribunal on Tuesday but was unable to produce witnesses.

According to Osho, Akinbule attributed his inability to present the witnesses to a crisis allegedly affecting the proceedings and subsequently sought an adjournment.

He said the respondents saw Akinbule and some of his witnesses within the tribunal premises on Tuesday.

Osho said the respondents were surprised when they were served with a letter on Wednesday seeking another adjournment on the grounds that Akinbule had allegedly been assaulted and that some of the witnesses were being prevented from appearing before the tribunal.

He further disclosed that the petitioners had written to the President of the Court of Appeal, requesting that the petition be transferred from Ekiti State to another location they considered safe.

Osho said the tribunal, in view of the application before the President of the Court of Appeal, adjourned the matter until September 23 for the application for transfer to be considered.

He said the respondents had no option but to concede to the adjournment pending the determination of the venue application.

Osho said: “The hearing of the petition commenced on the 8th of September 2026 and, as is usual, the hearing was to go on day-to-day. It was then adjourned today for continuation of hearing.

“Yesterday, the petitioner’s counsel, one Ebenezer Akinbule, was in court, and he admitted that the crisis that is rocking the area prevented him from bringing his witnesses and applied that the matter be adjourned today.

“We saw him and his witnesses yesterday within the court premises and until he drove off.

“Today, we were surprised to be served with a letter asking for an adjournment on the ground that he was assaulted and that his witnesses were being prevented from coming to the tribunal.

“We were also informed that he had written to the President of the Court of Appeal for a change of venue and that the petition be transferred from Ekiti to another venue which they consider safe for them.

“The tribunal, in its wisdom, adjourned the hearing of the petition till Wednesday, 23rd of September, for the President of the Court of Appeal to take a decision on the petitioner’s application for transfer of the petition.

“So, we are constrained to concede to the adjournment, and then we will await the President of the Court of Appeal’s decision on the petitioner’s application for transfer of the petition out of Ado-Ekiti.”