The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has affirmed Governor Biodun Oyebanji as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, June 20, 2026.
The appellate court dismissed an appeal filed by APC member Abimbola Olawumi, who challenged Oyebanji’s candidacy.
Delivering a unanimous judgment on Thursday, a three-member panel led by Justice Adebukola Banjoko held that the appeal was incompetent and failed to comply with the court’s procedural rules.
According to the court, the appellant’s brief of argument exceeded the number of pages permitted under the Electoral Proceedings Practice Direction 2023. The panel further ruled that the appeal lacked substantive arguments to support the claims made against the governor’s candidacy.
Justice Banjoko stated that the brief filed by Olawumi violated Paragraph 14(a) of the Electoral Proceedings Practice Direction 2023 and was therefore liable to be struck out.
The court consequently upheld the preliminary objections raised by the APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and Governor Oyebanji, dismissing the appeal in its entirety.
INEC Begins Distribution of Sensitive Materials
Meanwhile, INEC has commenced the distribution of sensitive electoral materials ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti State.
The electoral body said the exercise forms part of preparations to ensure a smooth and credible election process across the state.
The development has attracted public attention, with some Nigerians commending security agencies for safeguarding election materials, while others expressed concerns about vote-buying and the integrity of the electoral process.
UK to Observe Ekiti and Osun Elections
In a related development, the United Kingdom has announced plans to deploy election observers to monitor the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections.
The disclosure was made by Richard Montgomery during a visit to APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda at the party’s national headquarters.
Montgomery stated that while the UK respects Nigeria’s sovereignty, it remains interested in supporting democratic development and electoral transparency in the country.
The Ekiti governorship election is scheduled to hold on Saturday, June 20, 2026, with Governor Oyebanji seeking a fresh mandate under the APC platform.
