Oni Urges Judicial Heads to Monitor Ekiti Election Petition Tribunal

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

The Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) governorship candidate in the last in Ekiti State, Engr. Segun Oni has assured Nigerians that the alleged fraud perpetrated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last poll won’t stand, boasting that he would get favourable judgement in court.

The SDP candidate therefore urged the country’s judicial head to monitor the ongoing Election Petition Tribunal in Ekiti and prevent compromise and any form of inducement.

Oni said the call became imperative following the alleged boast by the outgoing governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, that he (Oni) was just chasing shadow and has no case at the Tribunal against the governor-elect, Biodun Oyebanji was an empty one, saying Fayemi has no power to decide for the judiciary on how the litigation will go.

Oni said it was very disgusting and debasing for a governor to make such a statement that was capable of eroding the powers and respect of the judicial arm.

In a statement made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti yesterday, by the Director of Media and Publicity of the organisation, Mr. Jackson Adebayo, Oni said the action was, “primitive, barbaric and callous.”

The former Ekito State governor said the statement further attested to the reign of impunity experienced under the APC’s leadership in Nigeria .

Oni stressed that  Fayemi should explain to the whole world why his party’s governorship primary was allegedly  manipulated to bring out Oyebanji who was nominated by an illegal authority elected through front loading of election results.

He maintained that Fayemi and his party allegedly perpetrated the act, having the impression that they could manipulate their ways through the judicial arm.

He said: “The emergence of Governor Fayemi both in 2010 and 2018 also took the same route, hence, his belief in short -cut to the Ekiti government house, forgetting that some people in the judiciary can still protect their integrity.

“Fayemi who said that those challenging the election of Oyebanji in court and tribunal are mere entertainers meant something and such was condemnable.

“We want to remind the governor that the ground that is before the tribunal goes beyond an ordinary technicality and legal masquerading. They are constitutional issues which have been decided at all levels of court in Nigeria so any clandestine movement becomes suspicion. “