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The Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has written the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Alooma Mukthar, of plans by the Ekiti State Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, to connive with the outgoing governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, to abort the inauguration of the Governor-Elect, Mr Ayo Fayose, on October 16, this year.
In the letter entitled ‘Another judicial coup plotted to avert the swearing in of the governor-elect of Ekiti State’ signed by the State Secretary, Dr Tope Aluko and the State Publicity Secretary, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday, the party said it had it on good authority that plans were on by Justice Daramola and Governor Fayemi, to give accelerated hearing to some suits challenging the eligibility of Fayose for the June 21 governorship election despite the Notice of Appeal and the Stay of Proceedings filed in respect of the suits.
Fayose had challenged the assumption of jurisdiction by Justice Olusegun Ogunremi of an Ado-Ekiti High Court on the matter and also filed a Stay of Proceedings on the hearing of the substantive suit.
“My Lord, on the 28th September, 2014, the Governor-Elect of Ekiti State personally wrote a letter to you, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, raising fears about the attempts of the Chief Judge of Ekiti State to frustrate the swearing-in of the Governor-Elect of Ekiti State produced by our party.
“This was done in view of Section 185 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which empowers only the Chief Judge of Ekiti State to swear in the Governor-Elect as the new Governor of the state, as Ekiti State presently has no Grand Khadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal, or President of the Customary Court of Appeal that can perform similar function, in case the Chief Judge decline to do so.
“To our knowledge, My Lord is yet to react to that letter. Meanwhile, we are authoritatively informed of another desperate move to obtain a “black market injunction” from an Ekiti State High Court restraining the Chief Judge from swearing-in the Governor-Elect on the 16th October 2014.
“Our source authoritatively informed us that the E-11 case in suits nos HAD/51/2014 and HAD/52/2014 are to be given accelerated hearing between Wednesday 8/10/14 and Friday 10/10/14, or thereabout, in a way that a “black market injunction” will be secured to restrain the Chief Judge from swearing-in the Governor-Elect, after the court might have been re-opened following the NJC directive.
“The outgoing Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Ayo Daramola, had finalised arrangement to actualise this diabolical plan.
We therefore call on My Lord through this medium to call the Chief Judge of Ekiti State to order, and allow due process to be followed in all the cases before his court. “These two cases, or any other case that may be concocted are not time bound, or perishable items that injunction would be necessary to preserve ex-parte, or otherwise, before the swearing-in of the Governor-Elect on 16th October 2014. The law allows appeal from one court of first instance to the Supreme Court. Why before the swearing-in?
There is no doubt that this dangerous game if allowed to germinate into fruition will cause a constitutional crisis, and indeed, anarchy in the already volatile state.
We are most grateful My Lord,” the PDP stated.
