All was tense yesterday in Ekiti
State ahead of today’s Supreme Court judgment in the suit filed by the All
Progressives Congress (APC) against the election of Governor Ayo Fayose.
The
legal dispute is on the June 21, 2014 governorship election, which the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Fayose, who ran on the platform
of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), winner.
The
electoral agency credited Fayose with 203,090 votes. The APC candidate, Dr.
Kayode Fayemi, scored 120,433 votes.
Fayemi
conceded defeat to Fayose but his party (APC) went to court, complaining of
intimidation of its members and militarization of the poll. Besides, the APC
questioned Fayose’s qualification for the election.
Fayose’s
election was affirmed by the Election Petition Tribunal led by Justice Mohammed
Sirajo, on December 19, last year.
The
APC approached the Court of Appeal but lost again as an Appeal
Panel chaired by Justice Abdu Aboki on February 16 upheld Fayose’s
election.
Although
the APC lost at the Appeal Court, the court found merit in the party’s claim
that the military was used to intimidate its leaders and members before and
during the election.
The
court ruled that it is illegal to deploy the military for election duties.
Undeterred
by its loss in the Appeal Court, the APC went to the apex court, to challenge
Fayose’s victory.
Fayose,
in a broadcast, urged residents to maintain the peace.
He
expressed appreciation to the people for voting for his party at last
Saturday’s House of Assembly polls.
Fayose
said the victory had confirmed that the PDP’s winning streak, which started
with last year’s governorship poll, was not a fluke and that he is not holding
a stolen mandate as alleged by his opponents.
The
governor expressed confidence that he would overcome his travails, adding that
the plot to remove him will not succeed.
Some
residents have been reacting to the impending judgment.
A
State Local Government Service Commission official said what was paramount to
him is the peaceful coexistence of residents.
A
farmer, Mr. Sunday Adelowo, said he did not believe that people should nurse
anxiety over the judgment since the Tribunal and the Appeal Court had earlier
ruled in Fayose’s favour.
Policemen
remained on guard yesterday at various places in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital
where they have been since the outbreak of the impeachment crisis last week.
The
APC in Ekiti State has raised the alarm over alleged plans by members of the
PDP to attack its members and supporters on Tuesday if the Supreme Court
judgment threatens Fayose ‘s position.
APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun said in a statement that the party
had uncovered plans to burn down houses of APC leaders and harm members and supporters
if the judgment is not favourable to the governor.
The
APC said: “Since the Ekitigate tape emerged, the PDP has become more desperate
in its actions over where the pendulum will swing in the impending judgment.
“They
have mapped out elaborate strategies to attack our members if the judgment does
not favour the governor.
“In
Ikere-Ekiti, for instance, they have threatened to burn down the homes of
two members of the House of Assembly in Ikere Local Government, Yomi Daramola
and Clement Adu Sunday.
“One
Ejila and Ibrahim are said to be the arrowheads of the planned attacks.
“Just
today (Monday), PDP members were attacking the street sweepers in Ikere-Ekiti,
accusing them of not voting for PDP in the weekend election while in Ado-Ekiti,
the home of APC candidate for last weekend’s House of Assembly election,
Sola Olofin, was attacked.
“They are
planning to attack the home of another Assembly candidate, Sola Fatoba. These
attacks are carryover of the violence during Saturday’s State Assembly
election, marred by ballot snatching and violence.
“We
call on the security agencies to provide adequate security for APC members
while those causing crisis in the state should be arrested.”
Also
yesterday, there were speculations of “a desperate attempt to influence the
verdict”.
Two
key government officials are said to be behind the moves to influence the
court’s verdict.
A
source spoke of how the officials had been pushing to “reach out” to the
Supreme Court Justices.
The
officials reportedly visited a senior Judiciary figure, seeking his go-ahead
for a meeting with some of the Justices – a move which a source said would be
tuned down to protect the court’s integrity.
The
officials, said another source, planned to tell the Justices that some of them
would be dismissed on corruption grounds, when the new government assumes
office next month.
But
Fayose is said to be upeat, telling his supporters that he had been assured of
a favourable verdict.
One
of the officials is said to be contacting prominent Yoruba leaders to help stem
the growing opposition towards Fayose in the Southwest, especially in the event
that the judgment goes in his favour. His reasons is that Fayose fought
Jonathan’s cause.
A
General was contacted directly by Fayose for his assistance, but his plea met
with brick wall, as the respected General turned him down.
Fayose
reportedly sent emissaries to the National leader of the All Progressives
Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying he plan to defect to the
APC if he could assist him scale the Supreme Court hurdle.
The
thinking, it was learnt, is that a rift exists between Fayemi and Asiwaju
Tinubu.
Source: The Nation
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