RESIDENTS of the south-western state of Ekiti are on the alert following the commencement of the review of the case brought before the Court of Appeal by a former governor of the state.
Mr. Segun Oni is compelling the court to set aside the judgment which declared Dr. Kayode Fayemi the elected state governor.
The former governor himself had been sacked in a judgment declared on October 15, 2010 by a panel at the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, headed by the then-President of the Court of Appeals, Justice Ayo Salami, who is currently on suspension pending judicial investigations.
Incumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi has responded in a petition through his lawyer asking Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, to disband the panel constituted by the Acting President of Court of Appeal to review Oni’s case.
The governor said the review of the case already adjudicated by the Appeal Court was strange to law since the court was the last in governorship petition.
But the Chairman of the PDP in the state, Chief Bola Olu-Ojo, in a statement on Sunday, asked Fayemi to allow the court to perform its duty.
“Fayemi should rather let the court do its job instead of seeking to deny a fellow Nigerian his rights to seek redress in court and the duty of the court to adjudicate over his complaint(s),” said the party stalwart in his statement.
“Fayemi and his party, the ACN, have once again demonstrated their contempt for the rights of Nigerians to seek redress in the Court of Law.”
Ekiti State people are anxious on the possible outcome of the legal tussles, prompting the Ekiti State Police Command to warn politicians against fomenting trouble in the state as the Court of Appeal begins sitting in Ado-Ekiti to review Mr. Segun Oni’s case.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Mohammed Jimoh, said on Sunday that the command has beefed up security ahead of the renewal of legal battle between rival politicians in the state.
The PPRO said, “We have beefed up security round the court and every where in the state. We have talked with the various parties on the need to toe the line of peace.
“Having done that, we won’t hesitate to deal with anybody caught fomenting trouble. The police are out to provide adequate security for everybody.”