Hearing Begins in Oni’s Suit against Fayemi

There was heavy police presence at the Ado Ekiti Division of the Federal High Court on Monday as the suit filed by a former Governor of the state, Segun Oni, challenging the eligibility of Governor Kayode Fayemi to contest the All Progressives Congress governorship primaries as a sitting minister began.

The matter, which commenced in an Abuja division last week, was transferred to Ado Ekiti for accelerated hearing.

In the matter, Oni, an APC governorship aspirant, is praying the court to disqualify Fayemi for allegedly not having resigned properly and in turn declare him (Oni) as the party candidate for the July 14 governorship election.

When the matter came up on Monday, Oni’s counsel, Chief Anthony Adeniyi, raised security concern as he alleged that “some party supporters attempted to stop me from accessing the court area but for the quick intervention of policemen who ferried me to the court premises.”

Earlier, an aspirant in the primaries, Mr Ajayi Olowo, prayed the court join him in the suit as an interested party.

Olowo, also a lawyer, urged the court to join him with the defendant’s counsel to hasten their work.

He said, “Segun Oni has no case and his application should be dismissed.”

Adeniyi also filed a motion to amend the applicant’s response to the preliminary objection of the defendant, Fayemi.

The applicant’s counsel also urged the court to give the case accelerated hearing, saying there was no time on the side of the court.

He said, “The expiration of the matter, according to the law which stipulated 180 days to hear the matter, is December 19.”

Justice Uche Agomoh adjourned ruling on whether Olowo could join the other defendants till Tuesday November 27.

Agomoh told the two parties to file and serve each other the written applications before noon on Tuesday.

The Punch