Court To Rule On Fayemi’s Eligibility Case Dec. 10

A Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has been urged to
dismiss the prayers and preliminary objection of Gov. Kayode
Fayemi’s counsel over his eligibility to contest primary
election.

Mr Tony Adeniyi, the lead counsel to the claimant Segun Oni made
the submission on Friday saying Fayemi’s application lacked
merit.

Adeniyi urged the court to favour Oni by granting his plea and
direct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to
issue a certificate of return to his client and declare Fayemi as
ineligible.

He also prayed the court to strike out the counter affidavit of
Fayemi and INEC’s counsels for not complying with the order of the
court to file written addresses.

He added that the governor, as a minister, ought to have
resigned 30 days before the primary election since he was a
government appointee; and that had rendered him ineligible to
contest the election.

Counsel to Fayemi, Mr Rafiu Balogun, however, argued that the
election was conducted in accordance with the constitution of the
party.

Balogun submitted that once the candidate of a party was
cleared, the court could not determine who was elected as candidate
saying it was the sole decision of the party.

He said Fayemi did not need to resign because he was an
appointee of the president and not a civil servant.

He, therefore, urged the court to dismiss and strike out the
matter.

After listening to the submissions and arguments of both
counsels, the presiding judge, Justice Uche Agomoh, adjourned the
matter to Dec. 10 for ruling.

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