Fayemi beats Eleka at Ekiti governorship election tribunal

Fayemi defeated Prof. Kolapo Olusola, aka Eleka, of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State's July 14 gubernatorial election as he won 197,459 votes to his opponent's 178,121 votes.

The PDP condemned the All Progressives' Congress (APC) over the conduct of the state's election alleged to have been marred by violence and illegal vote-buying.

Eleka filed a petition to contest the result of election a few weeks after it was conducted.

However, the tribunal unanimously struck out Eleka's prayers during its ruling in Abuja on Monday, January 28, 2019.

The three-member tribunal, chaired by Justice Suleiman Bolaji Belgore, said all the allegations raised in the PDP's petition were not were not substantiated by the evidence presented to the court.

Fayemi described his tribunal victory as a reflection of the wishes of the Ekiti people and called on Eleka to support his administration.

He said, "It is a great day for democracy. And the judiciary has proven again that it is the last hope of the common man.

"We shall now continue with the task of rebuilding our state and restoring the core values of our people without any iota of distraction."

In a statement released by the PDP later on Monday, the party vowed to contest the ruling in the Court of Appeal where it is confident of victory.