Immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo have hailed the judgment of the state Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which yesterday, upheld the victory of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Biodun Oyebanji, in the June governorship election.
The three-man tribunal chaired by Justice Wilfred Kpochi ruled that the allegations of election rigging, vote trading and procedural violations raised by the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Segun Oni were vague and unspecific.
The panel held that the petition filed by Oni against the return of Oyebanji and Afuye respectively “failed woefully head or tail.”
The tribunal equally struck out the request for disqualification of the deputy governorship candidate for alleged certificate forgery, saying the issue was not brought up within the expected 21-day period legally allowed, and that raising new facts and pleas midway would amount to breach of injunctions.
Oyebanji, who described the ruling of the tribunal as a “landmark judgement” thanked the judiciary for living up to its reputation as the bastion of democracy.
Addressing a crowd of jubilant supporters at the foyer of the Governor’s Office, Ado-Ekiti, shortly after the tribunal ruling, Oyebanji said the judgement was a further proof that God had a hand in his election as Governor of Ekiti State.
He urged his supporters to celebrate in moderation and avoid any form of name calling or hostility against members of the opposition party.
Dr. Fayemi, immediate past governor of the state and President of the Forum of Regions of Africa (FORAF), in a statement by Mallam Ahmad Sajoh, head, the Fayemi Media Office, Abuja, said the victory was for all Ekiti people and invited the opposition to abandon further litigations and work together with the governor for the growth and development of the state.
“I had no doubt that the June gubernatorial election which gave birth to his government was free and fair and would pass any judicial scrutiny. With this ruling, I call on members of the opposition to join hands with the governor for the growth and development of the state.
“Our political affiliations may be different, but we are all Ekiti people and should work together for the good of our state.
“I hope the verdict of this court put to rest further litigations about the gubernatorial election, so we can have a stable political climate in which the governor and his team can concentrate on the real task of providing developmental solutions to our people.
“I congratulate the people of Ekiti for the victory is really theirs,” the former chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).
Similarly, Adebayo said the victory was not a fluke but the decision of the majority of voters in the state who voted for continuity of the lofty programmes of the APC.
“With the judgement, the coast is now clear for the Oyebanji administration to start implementing his development agenda for the good of the people of the state.’’
The minister said that the decision of the tribunal further proved the loyalty and support of the people for the APC.
While urging Oyebanji to be magnanimous in victory, Adebayo urged the people of the state to rally round the governor for the development of the state.
He also urged opposition political parties to set aside their political differences and support the governor to move the state forward.
Adebayo lauded the petitioners in the election petition, Chief Oni and the SDP for resorting to the tribunal to seek redress.
He said that with the judgement of the tribunal, they would embrace peace for a better Ekiti State.