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Ekiti State latest: Fayose Court case stalls, Judge call in sick

October 3, 2006
 

 Saharareporters, New York

 The impeachment process against Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose who was accused of corruption, embezzlement and mismanagement of billions of state funds by state legislators was boosted today with the failure by the embattled governor’s team to secure a controversial court injunction from the state high court in Ado-Ekiti.

 

As exclusively reported by Saharareporters yesterday, Mr. Fayose who refused to resign yesterday as widely expected, had wanted to get the state court system to force the state legislators to back off from the impeachment process. The plot fell into a major snag as opposition groups got wind of it and immediately mobilized 20 lawyers from Lagos and Ibadan to lay siege on the court. The lawyers led by Chief Fagbemi (SAN) moved to Ekiti State capital Ado-Ekiti early this morning. When it was time for the case to be heard the presiding judge, Justice Koweh did not show in  up court, instead the court registrar told the lawyers from both sides that he (Justice Kowe) was not coming to court because he suddenly fell “ill”.  The case was immediately moved to the court of another judge, Justice Akintade who also ‘disappeared’ from the court premises.

 

Attempts by the Chief Judge of the State to hear the case was protested by the lawyers who reminded him that since he was the officer of law required to constitute the investigation panel to try the governor on impeachable offences it will be improper for him to hear the case challenging the impeachment process. The case was then moved to another judge whose identity is unknown at the present moment. The proceedings are likely to commence tomorrow in Ado Ekiti. Before leaving court premises the lawyers of the opposition groups demanded that the Chief Judge make the case files and details available to them as soon as possible. According to the lawyers, since it is a case involving public interest, they ought to be put on notice about the full particulars of the case.

 

On the investigation front of the death of PDP aspirant, Chief Ayo Daramola, the police authorities in Abuja have made further arrests of key members of the “killer squad” in Ekiti State.  A big time politician, retired army officer and murder merchant, Chief Dayo Okondo who is also the chairman of the Ekiti State Local Government Services Commission has been arrested and taken to Abuja for interrogation regarding his involvement in politically motivated assassinations and violence in the Ekiti State. It was on Chief Okondo’s premises that 8 students of higher institutions in the state were murdered as reported by the SSS. Also in police net is Omolafe Aderiye, the chairman of Ekiti State National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), a professor at the state university, T.K Aluko was also arrested by the police. He was fingered in the plot by the governor to recruit murderous cult gangs from outside Ekiti State to cause mayhem over the impeachment saga. The police also went away with Goke Olatunji, the controversial personal assistant to Governor Fayose who had earlier been detained by the EFCC. Goke olatunji was arrested by the EFCC as he tried boarding an international flight with Fayose. The governor did not proceed on that trip as planned.

 

Reprieve also came the way of two gubernatorial candidates earlier detained by the police authorities over the murder of Ayo Daramola. The duo, which have spent close to two months in detention were released today and asked to continue their gubernatorial campaigns in Ekiti State. They are Yinka Akerele and Deji Adesua.

 

 Meanwhile opposition groups have camped out at the Ekiti State High Court division monitoring every move made by state judges as Gov. Fayose continues in the final political battle of his life.


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