Ekiti State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has relocated sitting to Abuja over security concerns raised on Monday by counsel in the matter.

The tribunal is hearing a petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party over the July 14 governorship poll.

In the petition, the PDP’s candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, is challenging the declaration of Dr Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the election.

The atmosphere at the Court of Appeal, Ado Ekiti, became charged on Monday as some hoodlums suspected to supporters of the APC attacked PDP members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly.

In the crowd were people wearing vests of commercial drivers’ unions, Okada riders and artisans, among others.

According to the hearing notice issued by the tribunal secretary and sighted by our correspondent on Wednesday, the pre-hearing would now take place in Abuja at “High Court No 17, Apo, Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja.”

The state’s Legal Adviser of PDP, Sunday Olowolafe, confirmed that the petition would now be heard on Tuesday.

The panel chaired by Justice Suleiman Belgore has Justices Aliyu Baba and Ebiyerin Omukoro as members.

At the tribunal on Monday, the PDP’s counsel, Adebayo Adelodun (SAN), had raised concerns about a crowd wielding sticks and cudgels that had besieged the entrance of the court and harassing key individuals entering the venue.

He urged the court to relocate hearing to a safe place.

Counsel to Fayemi, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); APC, Akin Olujimi (SAN);  and that of the Independent National Electoral  Commission, Charles Edosomwam (SAN), did not oppose the application.

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