Human Rights lawyers yesterday dismissed the claim by former secretary of Ekiti State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Temitope Aluko that the 2014 governorship poll in the state was rigged in favour of Governor Ayo Fayose, saying confessions of fraud in the electoral exercise cannot be a basis to sack the incumbent.

Aluko, who gave evidence in favour of Fayose at the Election Petition Tribunal, however, alleged on Sunday that he was part of those who manipulated the poll in favour of the governor.

Reacting to the allegation, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) described Aluko as a self-confessed criminal who should be charged with perjury.

He, however, told Daily Sun that confessions of electoral fraud by Aluko and others cannot form any legal basis to review the validation of Fayose’s election by the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

He insisted that Aluko was an aggrieved politician seeking to get back at the governor for failing to appoint him.

“There is no legal implication at all. If there is any legal implication, it is for the culprit, who is making this bizarre admission. The Fayose case has been decided by the tribunal, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. And, it was based on evidence that they got.

And the evidence they got was the evidence given on oath by this man (Aluko) now talking balderdash. Any evidence given on oath is taken to be correct. His acting on television was not done on oath. If anything, it is the person that has committed perjury by giving false evidence on oath that should be arrested and prosecuted.

This afterthought evidence cannot in any way affect the validity of the judgments of the tribunal, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, which were anchored on the evidence he had given on oath, which is the legally admissible evidence. The television evidence is not admissible.

At best, it shows the desperation of a disgruntled politician, who perhaps did not get what he expected from Governor Fayose. And to me, it’s only in Nigeria someone can come on television to say ‘I’m a criminal.’ The Supreme Court judgment is final in all its finality and any appeal against it is an appeal to God.”

For his part, activist lawyer, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa accused President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of being behind the confessions in a move to unseat Fayose for his persistent criticism of the Federal Government.

Also speaking, Mr. Aham Njoku said the confessions on the Ekiti governorship poll were worthless for the purposes of sacking Fayose.

The confessions, he said, could not lead to re-litigation of the issues already settled by the apex court on the poll.

The allegations, Njoku added, could be traceable to opponents of the governor and those not comfortable with his criticism of the government at the centre.

http://www.ekitionline.com.ng/ekiti-poll-confessions-cant-unseat-fayose-ozekhome-others/

Lalasticlala

dat temitope should be arrested, i tink he didnt knw d repercusion of his uterance.

for now.......

what happens after his tenure?

Time will tells