Bye-election: Tribunal Dismisses SDP’s Petition Against PDP Candidate 

The election petition Tribunal sitting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, has dismissed the petition brought before it by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) against the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Hon. Folajimi Oyekunle in the August 16, 2025 bye-election in Ibadan North Federal Constituency.

The SDP, had prayed the Tribunal to nullify the election that produced Honourable Oyekunle as winner and declare the its candidate as winner.

The SDP, in its prayer to the Tribunal, also stated that the election and return of Hon. Folajimi as member representing Ibadan North federal constituency is vitiated by non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 and further prayed the tribunal to cancel the by-election and conduct fresh or supplementary election in the affected polling units of the federal constituency.

Counsel to Hon. Folajimi and PDP, Tunji Ogunrinde, SAN, while defending the petition raised objection to the competence of the petition.

Ogunrinde, SAN, further prayed the tribunal to dismiss the petition for petitioner’s failure to list the candidate as a party to the petition.

Delivering judgment on Wednesday in the petition with suit number: EPT/OY/HR/01/2025, the Tribunal headed by Justice A.M Yakubu, dismissed the petition by the SDP, based on the petitioner’s failure to prove the fact and grounds of the petition.

The Tribunal held that the evidence given by the sole witness of the petitioner is contradictory, unreliable and inadmissible.

The petition, was consequently dismissed for lacking in merit and cost of N2million was awarded in favour of the PDP and its candidate, Honourable Folajimi Oyekunle.

OYO NEWS