I won the election for governor of Ekiti — Oni

• Challenge Oyebanji's victory in court

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) gubernatorial candidate in the June 18 elections in Ekiti State, Segun Oni, has declared that he won the election.

Oni, while answering questions from reporters shortly after filing the complaint with the Electoral Court on Thursday at the High Court premises in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, said: " I'm here to submit my petition in accordance with the law. We're doing this to defend the sanctity of the system. I'm contesting the election result because I believe I won."

Oni is contesting the victory of Mr. Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after garnering 187,057 votes, against Oni's 82,209 votes.

He submitted a 159-page petition document to the court, for Volume 1, and approximately 2,000 exhibits for Volume 2, to challenge the legitimacy of the winner.

The SDP legal team included Obafemi Adewale (SAN), Mr. Owoseni Ajayi and Morakinyo Ogele. Speaking on behalf of Legal Counsel, Adewale (SAN), said: "As you heard from the candidate, if he believed the gubernatorial election was free, fair and credible, he would not wouldn't have contested the result.

“If he didn't think he won fairly and squarely, he wouldn't be here to challenge the poll. the law…”

"He believes he won the majority of legal votes in the election, but he was not declared the winner of the election."

Adewale said his client also believed that the person so declared by INEC had not won with legal votes and might not even be competent to contest the election.