Governorship election tribunal moves sittings out of state

The petition tribunal constituted to review the result of the July 14 Ekiti State gubernatorial election has been moved out of the state due to security concerns.

During the tribunal's first sitting at the state's High Court on Monday, September 17, 2018, legal counsels of the All Progressives' Congress (APC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) complained about their safety and urged the tribunal to move hearings to Abuja.

PDP's legal counsel, Adebayo Adelodun (SAN), said the state was unsafe for a hearing of that magnitude.

"My lord, on our way to the tribunal, we were accosted by some crowds with sticks. We were on a spot for several minutes until a senior police officer came to us.

"We have to be safe first, in life, safety comes first. We are professionals and we move around to do our job. Sir, we hereby request that this sitting should be shifted to another venue, probably Abuja because of safety," he said.

Counsel to the APC, Akin Olujimi (SAN), agreed with Adelodun's recommendation, saying, "It has happened before, some four years ago, it happened. My colleague who is now the governor of Ondo state appeared then, he was stoned. So I also support that Abuja as an alternative venue."

Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Charles Edohosa, also agreed with the recommendation, leading to the tribunal, chaired by Suleiman Belgore, to agree to move the case out of the state.

He said, "We have considered the issue considerately, and we are mindful of the consequences. There is security implications on the lives of the counsels and we cannot allow this. So on this, there is merit to this application, and it has been granted."

He said the new venue and date to reconvene will be communicated within 48 hours. Other members of the panel are Ebiyerin Omukoro and Aliyu Usman.

The APC's Dr Kayode Fayemi defeated the PDP's candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, aka Eleka, in the state's July 14 gubernatorial election as he won 197,459 votes to his opponent's 178,121 votes.

The PDP has condemned the APC over the conduct of the state's election which is alleged to have marred by violence and illegal vote-buying. Eleka filed a petition to contest the result of election as incumbent governor, Ayodele Fayose, is set to hand over to Fayemi on October 16.