Fayose, APC in war of words over Ekiti case The Ekiti State Governor-elect, Ayodele Fayose, on Wednesday claimed he had uncovered a plot by the All Progressives Congress to ensure that the Speaker of the state House of Assembly becomes the next governor of the state instead of himself. The governor-elect said this was the primary reason a socio-political group, Ekiti-11, went to court to ensure that it could achieve this through the back door. Fayose said this at a press conference in Lagos on Wednesday. He said this while explaining the circumstances surrounding an attack on a judge in the state during a court proceeding on the eligibility suit filed against him on Monday. He said it was through such a dubious court judgement that a former governor, Segun Oni, was ousted, paving the way for Governor Kayode Fayemi of the APC in 2010. Fayose, however, vowed that the people of the state would not allow his mandate to be stolen, as they were now more enlightened than before. He said, “The whole scheming in Ekiti State is just about the APC obtaining judgement through the back door after losing elections on June 20, 2014. You will recall that Segun Oni’s tenure was truncated through this back door judgement by some judicial officers who have been compromised. “They can go as far as losing their career if and when politicians pay them well. The Ekiti people have spoken and they have spoken well. I came back into the country on Tuesday night and I have been briefed on the developments in the state. I want to state clearly that we will not allow any back door judgement to stall my inauguration. “Their target is to install the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, who is an APC member, claiming that Fayose is not qualified to contest. I want to state that the people of Ekiti State are interested and they are equally more enlightened than before where someone will just come and obtain a judgement through the back door to stall a process and steal the people’s mandate.” He said there was the need for the judiciary in the state to be objective and fair, alleging that the judges in the state had been compromised because some of them were members of the Ekiti-11. Fayose said the plan of the APC was to ensure that he was not sworn in on October 16 but added that it would be impossible to stop him. However, the APC in Ekiti State had accused Fayose of either being ignorant of the law governing electoral matters or he was deliberately being economical with the truth. In a statement issued by the Director of Publicity and Media of the party, Segun Dipe, the party advised Fayose to always consult his legal advisers before making any statement that would characterise him not only as legally deficient but as a desperado. The party further berated Fayose and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party of resorting to violence to challenge an unfavourable court decision instead of treading the path of honour. The statement read in part, “Rather than baring facts, our governor-elect is baring fangs. Rather than applying brain and wisdom, he is applying the brawn, which he is known for. “If Fayose is not ignorant of the law or opting for deliberate falsehood, he would not embark on a campaign of calumny against those who have chosen to embark on the path laid down in both the 1999 Constitution and Electoral Law 2006 in ensuring that justice is not only done but seen as done. “If the admission of Fayose’s spokesperson that his supporters carried out the act (attack on the judge) because the judge was allegedly biased is anything to go by, the question then remains, is the invasion of the hallowed chamber the next step to take as a form of appeal?” Copyright PUNCH.All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH. Contact: editor@punchng ift.tt/ZNHrmV ift.tt/1B8LE01 [[Boost your social presence with NAIRALIKES nairalikes ]] #nigeria x #nairalikes #vanguardng
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 23:28:33 +0000
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