Remo Fed. Constituency Bye-election: Tribunal strikes out SDP’s petition against APC

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, over the Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo Federal Constituency election of August 16, 2025, in its ruling on Wednesday, struck out the petition of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for want of diligent prosecution.

Counsel to the petitioner, Mr. Ebenezer Akingbuli, had informed the Tribunal on Tuesday that his witness was not in court again for the second time and applied for an adjournment. Prof. Taiwo Osipitan, SAN, counsel for Elegbeji Ayoola Adesola, and Dr. Remi Olatubora, SAN, counsel for the APC, opposed the application for adjournment and urged the Tribunal to dismiss the petition for want of diligent prosecution.

The Tribunal, after listening to the arguments for and against the application for adjournment, adjourned its ruling to Wednesday, November 12, 2025.

It will be recalled that at the sitting of the Tribunal on Monday, November 10, 2025, the petitioner, based on the Tribunal’s pre-hearing report and schedule, was required to call its sole witness.

In the Tribunal’s pre-hearing report, the petitioner was assigned November 10 and 11, 2025, for the presentation of its case.

However, counsel to the petitioner informed the Tribunal during Monday’s proceedings that the petitioner’s sole witness was indisposed and applied for an adjournment to November 17, 2025.

Counsel to the two respondents opposed the petitioner’s application for adjournment and urged the Tribunal to strike out the petition for want of diligent prosecution.

Meanwhile, the Tribunal refused to strike out the petition on that day and graciously adjourned the case to November 11, 2025, urging the petitioner’s counsel to ensure that the petitioner’s sole witness attended the Tribunal to testify. Unfortunately, the sole witness failed to show up in court, leading to Wednesday’s ruling.

Based on the Tribunal’s ruling, Elegbeji Ayoola Adesola is now left with the PDP’s petition to contend with.

, Elegbeji Ayoola Adesola is now left  with PDP’s petition to contend with.