breaking news! !! !!!

Anxiety in Ekiti as appeal court decides Oni’s fate today

fayemi declared winner......................................................

There is palpable anxiety in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital and other towns in the state as the Court of Appeal in Ilorin, Kwara State will on Friday (today) deliver its judgment in the appeal filed by the Action Congress of Nigeria governorship candidate, Dr Kayode Fayemi challenging the victory of Governor Segun Oni.

Lawyer to Fayemi and the ACN, Chief Tony Adeniyi, confirmed the date of the judgement in an interview with journalists.

He added that the appellate tribunal had communicated to the partners that it would deliver the judgment on Friday.

PDP’s lawyer, Mr. Obafemi Adewale, also confirmed the receipt of the development to journalists.

As the news filtered in, residents of Ado-Ekiti were seen on Thursday discussing the likely outcome of the long legal battle.

Security has been beefed up and riot policemen deployed in some strategic areas of the town were seen watching with eagle eyes.

The appellant is challenging the results in Ifaki wards I and II, Orin/Ora, Usi all in Ido/Osi Local Government and Ipoti Ward A and Ward B in Ijero Local Government Area.

The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, who is also the chairman of the appeal panel is expected to lead Justices Clara Ogunbiyi, Olukayode Ariwoola, C.C Nweze and Adamu Jauro to determine who was elected the governor of the state on April14, 2007 and in the rerun poll held on April 25 and May 5 2009.

The appellate court had during the last sitting, after all the parties in the case had adopted their written addresses, adjourned indefinitely to deliver the verdict.

The ACN candidate had in his notice of appeal disagreed with the verdict which dismissed his petition and upheld Oni’s victory.

The appellants joined the PDP, INEC, Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ekiti State , The Returning Officer, Ido-Osi LGA, the Returning Officer, Ijero LGA, the Nigeria Police and the Inspector-General of Police as respondents in the appeal.

He urged the appeallate court to nullify Oni’s victory and declare him the elected governor of the state.

It would be recalled that Fayemi had engaged Oni who contested on the platform of the PDP in a long legal battled. The ACN candidate, who was dissatisfied with the result that declared Oni the winner filed a petition before Justice Bukar Bwala-led Election Petitions Tribunal in Ado-Ekiti.

The panel dismissed Fayemi’s petition but the petitioner headed for the Court of Appeal in Ilorin and the court headed by Justice Mohammed Dattijo, nullified Oni’s victory and ordered a rerun supplementary poll in 63 wards in 10 local government areas of the state.

The then INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Ayoka Adebayo, after series of dramatic events which characterised the rerun credited Oni with 111,140 votes to defeat the ACN candidate who was said to have scored a total number of 107,011.

Dissastified with the result, Fayemi again challenged Oni’s victory before another tribunal headed by Justice Hamma Barka while its tribunal delivered two judgment on May 5. Three members of the panel led by Barka had in their majority judgment held that the irregularities in the rerun were not substantial enough to have any meaningful impact on the outcome of the poll and upheld Oni’s election.

But the minority judgment delivered by Justice Abiodun Adebara and Justice Obande Ogbuniyan, nullified Oni’s victory, declared Fayemi the winner of the poll; and ordered the INEC to issue him with certificate of return.

Meanwhile, the police, in their bid to prevent violence have deployed no fewer than 3,000 men and women of the force throughout the 16 local government areas in the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Jimoh Mohammed, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, assured that whichever way the judgment goes, the police would contain the situation.

The PPRO said that there would be no restriction of movement in the state but advised residents to be moderate in their reaction to the much awaited verdict.

He said that the police were fully mobilise to forestall any breakdown of law and order while stating that the police would not condone any act of criminality.

He said, “There won’t be restriction of movement. We are not anticipating any crisis but we are on the ground. Whichever way the judgment goes, we are ready to contain it.”

Posted: at 15-10-2010 01:39 PM (14 years ago) | Gistmaniac

Election gadagada in 9ja,
lawyers have gotten their own share in all the court proceedings all these wasted months;
the man in the sit of power has even regain back all the money spend in his campaigns during election,
only to wake up this morning & tell us that their problem with the votes,
will he pay back 2 chest all the salary & allowances paid to him during his stay in power?
will their ever be credible election in 9ja?
Dat mama (State INEC commissioner) that conducted the election should be called to account for the flaws.

Posted: at 15-10-2010 05:06 PM (14 years ago) | Upcoming

Bravo.

Posted: at 20-10-2010 09:47 AM (14 years ago) | Hero