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  • Ekiti poll: Tribunal admits more electoral materials as exhibits

    The Ekiti State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal yesterday in Abuja admitted as exhibits more electoral materials used in the July 14 poll.

    The materials were tendered by Prof. Olusola Kolapo, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election through his counsel, Adeboyo Adelodun (SAN).

    Adelodun said he would rely on the exhibits to prosecute his case.

    The electoral materials admitted include receipts, logistics and results from Efon (10 wards), Oye (nine wards) and Ise Orun (three wards) local government areas.

    The defence team had objected to the admissibility of the documents, stating that they were not pleaded in the petition and that some of the wards mentioned were not in contention.

    But Adelodun said he pleaded the documents and certified true copies (CTC) of the electoral materials attached to prove his case.

    The counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chief Charles Uwensuyi (SAN), insisted that some of the documents tendered were not the Certified True Copies (CTCs) but would be addressed in the final address as agreed.

    Justice Suleiman Belgore, Chairman of the three-man tribunal, admitted the documents, saying all objections should be reserved and incorporated into the final addresses of the defendants.

    He also said the documents admitted as exhibits could still be expunged at the end, if the need arises.

    Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), counsel to Governor Kayode Fayemi, said his objections were reserved for the final address.

    The PDP and its candidate, Kolapo, are challenging the declaration of Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the July 14 election.

    Hearing in the matter continues today.

  • Ekiti Poll: Lawyers allege threat to security

    …URGE TRIBUNAL TO MOVE SITTING TO ABUJA

     

    Lawyers to the parties before the Ekiti State Election Petition Tribunal have expressed concern over their safety.

    At the resumed sitting of the three-member panel on Monday, the lawyers urged the tribunal to shift its father sittings to Abuja, the nation’s capital.

    This was sequel to the alleged intimidating presence of cane-wielding party members outside the Ekiti State High Court complex in Fajuyi area of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    This was amidst allegations by some People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members that they were attacked by All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters outside the court complex.

    Two House of Assembly members, Dayo Akinleye and Samuel Omotoso alleged that they were assaulted by people they described as “APC thugs” who massed under the flyover directly opposite the court premises.

    First to lodge complaint at the resumed sitting was Mr. Adebayo Adelodun, counsel to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Prof Kolapo Olusola.

    Adelodun who described the atmosphere outside the court as “scary and alarming” told the panel that the petitioners’ lawyers were held up at the same spot on their way to the court for several minutes.

    Adelodun said they were allowed entry following the intervention of a senior police officer saying the continued presence of the crowd of partisans won’t allow them to do their jobs as freely as possible.

    He, therefore, called for the shift of further tribunal proceedings to Abuja in view of the alleged security threat posed to them.

    Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mr. Charles Edosomwan, said he also observed the rowdiness outside the courtroom saying the petitioners’ observation should be taken note of for the lawyers’ safety.

    He supported the call that the tribunal’s sittings be taken to Abuja.

    Counsel to APC, Chief Akinlolu Olujinmi, said he wholeheartedly support the call for the movement of the tribunal venue to a neutral venue suggesting Abuja as an alternative.

    Counsel to Fayemi, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, stressed that “security is not a matter to be trivialised” argued that a change of venue had become inevitable for all of us.”

    Read Also: Ekiti Poll: Tribunal begins sitting, pledges to be fair

    Fagbemi said no matter how prepared counsels and witnesses are, security scare won’t allow them have rest of mind hence the need to grant the request.

    He added: “It has been very, very scary and in order to prevent this atmosphere of lawlessness that may hamper the work of this tribunal, I want to join my colleagues to call for a change of venue of this tribunal.”

    The tribunal rose for one hour with the panel chairman, Justice Suleiman Belgore, saying that ruling will be delivered on the oral application by lawyers to parties when the judges emerge from their chambers.

  • Ekiti Poll: Tribunal begins sitting, pledges to be fair

    The battle on the authentic winner of the July 14 governorship poll in Ekiti State commenced in the courtroom on Monday as the Election Petition Tribunal began its sitting.

    The three-member panel of judges led by the Chairman, Justice Suleiman Belgore, promises to be fair to parties involved in the petition.

    Other members of the panel are Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro and Justice Aliyu Baba Usman.

    The first petitioner is People’s Democratic Party (PDP) while its governorship candidate is the second petitioner.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the first respondent, All Progressives Congress (APC) is the second respondent while the third respondent is the governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    In the inaugural speech, Justice Belgore stressed that the jury is aware of the 180-day time frame within which to deliver final verdict.

    He urged lawyers to parties to maintain decorum and not engage in the use of any “delay tactics” to slow down proceedings.

    Belgore said the pane would be guided by the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules and Practice Direction as issued by the President of the Court of Appeal.

    The judges commenced sitting at 10.12 am and rose at 10.32 am.

    The panel reconvenes at 11.30 am for pre-trial hearing.

  • Ekiti poll: Tribunal grants Fayemi access to electoral materials

    The Ekiti State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the capital, yesterday granted leave to Governor-elect Kayode Fayemi to inspect and obtain certified true copies (CTC) of polling documents, ballot papers and other electoral materials used in the July 14 election.

    This followed the motion ex-parte filed by Fayemi under Section 151 of the Electoral Act in defence of a petition against his declaration by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as winner of the poll.

    The reliefs Fayemi is seeking include leave to hear and determine the application for the inspection before pre-hearing session.

    Counsel to Fayemi, who is the third respondent, Mr Abayomi Aliyu (SAN), listed eight grounds upon which the motion ex parte should be granted.

    The lawyer argued that such would enable his client to prepare for necessary defence in the course of the matter.

    Tribunal Chairman Justice Sulaiman Belgore, who reviewed the reliefs sought by Fayemi, held that the tribunal found merit in the application and granted them in the interest of fair hearing.

    The tribunal also granted the respondent’s prayer to allow forensic experts to inspect, by electronic scanning, the ballot papers, voters’ registers and other materials.

    It also granted Fayemi leave to use handwriting experts to inspect statutory forms used for the election.

    Last Friday, the PDP candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, filed over 700 pages of petition challenging Fayemi’s victory.

    He claimed to have scored the highest number of lawful votes cast in the election.

    Fayemi’s application, dated July 31, was anchored on six grounds.

    In his application, the APC candidate said:

    • “That the counsel is seeking the order of the tribunal to see the documents of the election materials.
    • “To make photocopies of the documents of the election materials.
    • “To use forensic equipment to view the handwriting of the election result, and the fingerprint of the election materials.
    • “Request, on the order of the court, to obtain and photocopy all the election materials held on July 14, which is also in custody of the first respondent (PDP).
    • “To seek forensic experts, to access both machine and other materials used in the conduct of the election in order to defend the petition of the first respondent (PDP).
    • “To have all the materials used in all the polling units of the election.”

  • Ekiti poll: Olusola’s petition’d strengthen democracy, says Fayemi

    •’He can’t get backdoor victory’

    Ekiti State Governor-elect, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has hailed the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidate in the July 14, 2018 governorship election, Prof Kolapo Olusola, for ventilating his grievances at the Election Petition Tribunal.

    Olusola on Friday filed a petition of over 700 pages at the registry, urging the Tribunal to declare him winner of the governorship poll claiming to have scored the highest number of lawful votes cast.

    But Fayemi in a statement yesterday by Director of Media and Publicity of his Campaign Office, Wole Olujobi, said the action was a welcome development to strengthen democratic practice.

    It noted it is a constitutional right of the petitioner as enshrined in the Electoral Act to do so.

    “Even though it is the petitioner’s right to seek legal redress in his complaint, it is a fact that the July 14 governorship election that returned Dr Kayode Fayemi is one of the best elections conducted by INEC in this country in which the will of the people was freely expressed through the ballot box.

    “For this reason, Fayemi won one of the best, freest and fairest elections in Nigeria as attested to by the elite election monitoring group, Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), which rattled Governor Ayodele Fayose, who thereafter assembled fake observers group populated by PDP members who tried to discredit the exercise.

    “We won the election in a very free and fair manner and we have no doubt that the tribunal will find this to be the case too in theirfinal judgment.

    “Judgment on the petition will be in accordance to the law and not to the terms of the petitioner, and so Eleka cannot be a judge in this case as he sought to do in his petition.

    “Now that he has filed his petition, he should leave the tribunal to decide if he won or not and not to prejudge, as the petitioner tried to do in his complaint to the tribunal.”

    The Deputy Director General of the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Council, Hon. Bamidele Faparusi, has described Olusola’s filing of petition against Fayemi’s victory as an “exercise in futility.”

    Faparusi maintained that the election of Fayemi reflected the will of Ekiti people and that not even the petition filed by Olusola or any other party can upturn the verdict.

    The former House of Representatives member added that the party will assemble highly experienced legal team that would confront the PDP and its candidate and prevent them from getting victory through the backdoor.

     

  • We’ll retrieve Olusola’s mandate – Fayose

    Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, on Tuesday expressed confidence that his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, would be declared winner of the July 14 governorship election by the state Election Petitions Tribunal.

    Fayose alleged that the governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, is holding on to “stolen mandate” which would be retrieved at the tribunal.

    The governor claimed that the election was marred by irregularities.

    Olusola, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the poll, has declared his intention to challenge the result of the election announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the tribunal.

    The PDP candidate has up till August 3 to submit his petition as the 21-day window to challenge the result is expected to close on that day.

    Fayose spoke in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday during an unscheduled visit to the new Erekesan Market (Oja Oba) which is nearing completion.

    The governor, who was cheered by market women during the visit, urged the people of the state to remain calm and be law abiding.

    Fayose pleaded with PDP members and sympathizers to keep their cool in the face of alleged intimidation and provocation by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Speaking on the market, Fayose said he was pleased with the pace of work on the project and quality of work done by the contractors.

    Fayose said: “This is the only legacy project we have not completed as we have delivered others such as the flyover, the new high court complex, the new Governor’s Office and the dualization of Ado-Ikere Road among others.

    “Though time is no longer on our side, we will surely push this project and as at now only finishing touches remain to be done.

     

    “I will complete it and commission it before I leave. We appreciate the people for their support and cooperation and we want them not to despair. The light is coming after darkness and we shall overcome.”

     

     

  • Ekiti poll: ‘Ozekhome erred’

    A lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, has come under attack for dabbling in the Ekiti State election controversy.

    His critics yesterday said the lawyer’s comments reflected his self-serving position on the July 14 governorship election.

    In a statement published on Sunday, Ozekhome said the outcome of the election did not reflect the will of the people.

    But in a statement last Sunday, a socio-cultural group, Ibile Ekiti Movement, said the lawyer’s comment portrayed him as a man lamenting the loss of his most profitable client: Governor Ayodele Fayose.

    The group urged Governor-elect Kayode Fayemi to probe Ozekhome for his alleged involvement in “shady deals” in the state in the last four years.

    The statement by the movement’s Secretary, Mr Deji Omotoyinbo, accused the lawyer of allegedly exploiting Ekiti residents under the guise of providing legal services for Fayose.

    “The comments by Chief Ozekhome did not come to us as a surprise. He is one of the lawyers who benefited from the Ekiti rot. He took some money from Mr Fayose at a time many families and homes in Ekiti were groaning under the weight of unpaid salary and pensioners were dying of hunger.

    “His outburst and cries are nothing but the associated pain of losing one of his sources of wealth.”

  • Ekiti governorship election credible – Observers

    A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) based in Ekiti State on Monday affirmed that the July 14 governorship election won by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, reflected the wishes of the electorate.

    The CSOs, whose representatives were on the field as election observers, said the election was free, fair and credible contrary to claims to the contrary in some quarters.

    They urged the people of the state and other Nigerians to be wary of “fake election observers” hired to impugn on the integrity of the poll.

    The three groups – New Initiative for Social Development (NISD), Centre for Social Justice, Good Health and Community Development (CENSJHOD) and International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) – condemned vote buying at the poll.

    While noting that virtually all parties were complicit in the vote buying saga, the observers said development cannot vitiate the process or taint the overall result of the poll.

    Addressing a joint news conference in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, NISD Executive Director, Abiodun Oyeleye, said some groups who called themselves “election observers” and discredited the poll were allegedly hired to do the hatchet job.

    Reading from the report of the observers, Oyeleye praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for improved performance which led to success of the poll.

    Oyeleye said the CSOs were part of the Nigerian Election Situation Room, the umbrella body of all election observers accredited by INEC to monitor elections.

    He said: “There were fake observers, those who claim to be observers but reside in the Government House. We have the video clips of those who call themselves observers but were following government officials all around.

    “We had our observers on ground; in fact, in NISD alone, we trained 50 observers. The report of our observers on the field was that the election was free, fair, credible and reflected the election wish of people of Ekiti State.

    “Although there are incidences of vote buying, all parties induced one way or the other. Some parties did ‘prepaid,’ others did ‘see and buy’ while we had parties that shared electronics before the election.

    “The election represented the will of the people of Ekiti State, with the exception of votes buying we noticed. Many of those who cast their votes were willing to be bought. Some even waited at the polling units waiting for the highest bidder. And our observation showed that all parties were culpable of this.”

     

     

  • We’ll never buy votes – PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said on Tuesday it would never resort to vote buying in any election, no matter the circumstances.

    Denying allegations of vote buying in Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti State, the PDP said its leadership would never allow such practice under any guise.

    A statement issued by the spokesman of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said it was fraudulent for some political parties to claim they resorted to vote buying because other parties also bought votes.

    The statement said: “Consequently, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who are going about media houses and claiming that their party bought votes in response to some parties that engaged in such practice are certainly not responding to the PDP.

    “The PDP spent its resources and energy on a democratic campaign that preceded the Ekiti election and never set up kiosks for the ‘see and buy” of votes as the APC unabashedly did.

    “The PDP however vowed that it will never allow the APC to get away with its crass abuse of democratic norms through which it suppressed the will of the Ekiti people and appropriated victory to itself in the governorship election.

    “Moreover, the PDP restates its position that the Ekiti election marks the last time anybody or party will use any means whatsoever to manipulate it out at the polls, particularly in the forthcoming Osun governorship election and the 2019 general elections.”

    In a separate statement, the PDP commiserated with the government and people of Katsina State over the devastating rainstorm that ravaged some communities in the state.

     

  • We didn’t buy votes to win Ekiti poll – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has denied allegations of vote buying leveled against it by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola.

    The party said it was in possession of documentary and electronic evidences to prove that Governor Ayo Fayose, Olusola and PDP purchased to influence the outcome of last Saturday’s governorship election.

    The election was won by the APC candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who has since been declared governor-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The APC in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, condemned the practice of vote-buying, saying such practice should be discouraged to allow democracy grow.

    The party also urged media houses to be fair in hearing all parties involved in the election, saying that selective treatment of issues is a denial of fair hearing for correct public judgment.

    The party praised people of the state for voting the party’s candidate, saying the gesture would ginger Fayemi to continue with programmes aimed at lifting Ekiti people out of poverty.