Ekiti AC, PDP hopeful on appeal judgement 15/2/2009

By Eni Akinsola and Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

It is with expectations that Ekiti awaits every tick of the clock as the day of judgement nears in the appeal filed by Action Congress candidate in the disputed election of April 2007, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

While prayers are being intensified by followers and sympathizers alike of the two contesting parties, the AC and the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, there is palpable tension in the air.

When contacted for his views on what his party expects from the Court of Appeal sitting in Benin, Chief Olajide Awe, the Chairman of the AC said: "We are expecting the best of judgment from the Appeal Court and this is not a mere saying; It is as a result of our conviction that we were not treated fairly at the lower tribunal and that was why we appealed.

"From the plethora of evidence and advocacy we presented through our counsels, we are of the opinion that the appellate court will consider our case. We discovered 28 lapses in the judgment delivered by the Justice Usman Bwala-led panel and it is our belief that the Appeal Court will straighten the rough edges. At the end of the day, we are sure of victory," he stated.

Asked to comment on what the AC would do if her prayers were granted at the appellate court he said: "We will move straight into policies that will douse the prevailing tension in the economy; education, provision of basic social facilities that will make life easier and better for Ekiti people who for the past two years have been groaning under the yoke of a directionless PDP government.

"Those are the areas we will focus our attention upon without allowing the euphoria of office to get the better part of us."

On the possible reaction if the table turns board and the struggle will definitely continue," he further stressed.

The PDP through the Senior Special Assistant to the governor, Mr. Moses Jolayemi said the party expects no less than victory from the Court of Appeal. HE said: "we are not optimistic for nothing. A simple analogy given by the governor sometimes ago is useful here. If a student attempts 3 out of ten compulsory questions, no matter how kind the marker is, no matter how benevolent the examiner, the student can not have a pass mark. Even if he does well in the three questions, he would still be short of making a pass mark, because 3 out of 10, everywhere, is less than the pass mark." He added that his party knows that if all the areas contested by the opposition were to be granted, that will still not give victory to the opposition.

On what the reaction of the government will be, he said: We’ll be glad that the judiciary has not been tampered with. And knowing the kind of person the governor is, I am sure he will throw his hands open o the opposition." The governor he said has always said that Ekiti belongs to all and so he would accommodate as many as are ready to plug in to his dreams for the state.

For one responder at weekend, the man on the street of Ekiti towns and villages will be as eager if not more eager to see the end of the protracted dispute one way or the other.

The anxiety over the impending judgment it was learnt might have forced the dramatic postponement of the meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors in the South-West geo-political zone.

The meeting was put off till a later date over what a source described as "prevailing circumstances".

Tension is mounting in the "Fountain of Knowledge" as the people of the state await the Tuesday’s verdict.

Governor Olusegun Oni, who flew the flag of the PDP at the election was dragged to the Court of Appeal, Ilorin , the Kwara State capital by the Action Congress (AC) standard bearer, Dr Fayemi who is challenging the affirmation of Oni’s election by the State Election Petitions Tribunal led by Justice Usman Bukar Bwala.

It was gathered yesterday that the uncertainty over where the pendulum of justice will swing at the Tuesday’s judgment forced a last-minute postponement of the meeting billed to hold on Thursday at the Government House, Ado-Ekiti.

Expected at the meeting were Governors Olusegun Agagu (Ondo), Adebayo Alao-Akala (Oyo), Gbenga Daniel (Ogun), Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun) and Oni, the host governor.

The week also witnessed a flurry of movements to Abuja by top government officials in the state who were believed to have conferred with officials of The Presidency over the impending judgment and its security implications for the state.

A very reliable Government House source revealed that the uncertainty over the verdict took its toll on the top Ekiti government officials who held several strategy meetings within and outside the state and made contacts with powerful and influential Nigerians "seeking to be assured of a favourable judgment" on Tuesday.

"As you can see my brother, there is tension everywhere in the state over the coming Appeal Court ruling and the anxiety is one of the reasons why the PDP governors’ meeting scheduled for the Ado-Ekiti Government House was postponed.

"You know that all eyes are on Ekiti at the moment over the prevailing circumstances and the need to make one contact or the other did not allow these government officials to settle down and plan effectively for the meeting.

"The news of the security situation in the state is reaching every part of the world and the government did not expect that the date of the Court of Appeal verdict would come so soon hence the decision to postpone the meeting to a later date after the judgment might have been delivered and if it favours the government, it will afford it an opportunity to plan an elaborate meeting for the PDP South West governors", our source said.

The tension in the land had also affected nightlife as residents now go home as early as possible following the alleged plan by politicians to kidnap unsuspecting victims to be used for rituals in connection with the impending judgment.

Our investigations also reveal that some parents have resolved to keep their children indoors throughout Tuesday over the tensed situation in the state amidst fears of a possible violence by the party the judgment goes against.

When contacted for his reaction over the unexpected postponement of the South West PDP governors’ meeting, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications, Mr Moses Jolayemi denied knowledge of the circumstances surrounding the postponement

"I don’t know, I don’t have any information to that effect", the governor’s spokesman told The Nation on enquiry.

The PDP faithful concluded their three-day prayer and fasting on Friday at the state secretariat of the party along Ajilosun Street in Ado-Ekiti where they "sought the face of God over the Tuesday’s judgment".

The programme which was attended by chieftains and few members of the party saw the faithful praying to God "not to allow the party to lose the governorship crown to the opposition in the state".

Similar prayers are also being held at the Government House.

The state government has also appealed to the people of the state to remain calm and be law-abiding over the Appeal Court judgment.

The Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mr Odunayo Ategbero, said in a statement on Saturday that the state government was aware of an alleged plot by disgruntled elements to plunge the state into chaos.

He urged parents not to allow their children to be used by those he referred to as unscrupulous politicians before, during and after the judgment promising that government would not shirk its responsibility to protect lives and property in the state.

The commissioner said the state government and security agencies are on top of the situation would not condone any attempt from any quarter to breach the peace of the state for partisan reasons.

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