By Gbenga ARIYIBI, Ado-Ekiti  and Dayo BENSON, Political Editor & Okey NDIRIBE

Thumbs up for judiciary- Amosun, Akeredolu, Agbakoba

It was celebration galore in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State Capital and all parts of the state on Friday as Ekiti citizenry trooped out in  their numbers to celebrate the victory of the Action Congress of Nigeria ACN Governorship Candidate in the 2007 polls, Dr Kayode Fayemi at  the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division
Never in the history of the 13-year old state had her people, the old and young, male and female, come out to exhibit their  joy as they did yesterday mood immediately the news filtered in from Ilorin, that the man whom they had stood solidly behind had been  pronounced  winner of the 2007 governorship election.

Clutching their hand sets as they monitored the verdict of the court, the people who were seen discussing in groups even at government offices,  ministries and parastatals, motor parks and market places. The discussions soon metamorphosed into victory songs when they learnt that Fayemi had won one of the most controversial elections in the history of the country.

The people were seen dancing round all the major streets of Ado Ekiti, with most of them holding brooms, the symbol of the ACN, as a mark of victory. Commercial motorcycle operators, otherwise known as Okada were part of the show. They rode their bikes acrobatically in celebration.

Some of the dancers attempted to storm the Government House, but were quickly driven back by the combined team of the security operatives led by the state Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Samuel Atafe Arale

Oni’s last day in office
Apparently unaware of where the pendulum of victory would swing, the sacked governor, Engr Segun Oni, who arrived the state from Abuja, Federal Capita Territory on Thursday night, reported for duties yesterday in his office. Along with his deputy, he performed some state functions before the alarm finally  sounded.

Thereafter, Oni headed straight for the Government House Chapel, Chaplained by Pastor  Simon Okelola, where he did his last Praise and Worship Service.

L-R Otunba Niyi Adebayo, Deputy Governor of Ekiti Mrs Funmi Olayinka,and Dr Kayode Fayemi with wife Mrs Bisi Fayemi and others celebrating his victory in Akure yesterday on his way to Ekiti

The Governor, along with some of his aides, who were yet to desert him later  moved down to Government House where he supervised the packing of his personal belongings.

Looking unruffled, Oni  later told newsmen that he had accepted the verdict, saying, yesterday’s  judgement  was a verdict of man and not of God.

He said he had given his best  to  the people of the state, adding that he had nothing to be ashamed of
He said that he was going as a fulfilled man, claiming that some of the projects he embarked upon   while he was calling the shots were enough to stand him out.

See more photos here

He said his next ambition was to work for the success of others who had stood behind him so far and were interested in contesting future elections. He  assured that his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP would win the next gubernatorial election in the state

On his advice to the people of the state, Oni said he want the people to learn how to contribute to the success of the state rather than looking for to benefit from the state. ‘’We have been here, look at the attitude of some of the people to work, this is not impressive, l want people to learn how to work with their hands, rather than depending on the state government.’

Reacting to the verdict, former governor of the state, Mr Ayo Fayose urged the incoming government to probe the administration of Oni, alleging that Oni plundered the economy of Ekiti.

Fayose, now a leader of the Labour Party, LP, who had campaigned against Oni during the 2009 governorship election re_run, said he had envisaged that Oni and the PDP would soon be a thing of the past in the state, saying yesterday’s judgement was welcomed by the generality of the people of the state

Thumbs up for judiciary – Amosun, Akeredolu, Agbakoba

In his reaction to the Court of Appeal judgement,   the gubernatorial candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in  the April 14 gubernatorial election in Ogun state, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun,    said that the declaration of Dr  Fayemi of the ACN as the Governor of  Ekiti State signaled the beginning of the end for  the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South West part of the country and in Nigeria as a whole.

In a statement issued  by his Press Secretary, Seyi  Enitan, the Amosun saluted Justice Isa Salami, the President of the Court of Appeal saying he and his brother judges  demonstrated a “ rare courage  with their ruling which  has  rekindled hope in the judiciary  and  that the judiciary has become the last hope of the oppressed in our march towards instilling the  rule of law and democracy in the country”.

He further  noted that  “henceforth, Justice will begin to take its root in the practice of democracy in the country as the Court of Appeal has renewed and  given hope to all those who are oppressed by the ruling PDP which  never wanted the will of the people to prevail.”

He continued: “I salute the courage of the Court of Appeal and declare that from now on, all the remaining governors of the south west who stole the peoples mandate should begin to pack their bag and baggage  and leave for time is up for them and their sponsors and supporters in the entire country”.

In his own reaction to the judgement,  the immediate past President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Mr Rorimi Akeredolu (SAN) said: “ The  Judgement delivered by the Court of Appeal today (yesterday)  on the Ekiti State Gubernatorial election petition  came as the needed balm on the psyche of the Ekiti electorate.

The fact that the pronouncement was made just before commitment of the scarce resources of the state to the project of tenure extension is soothing indeed.

This judgement brings to the fore the hallowed and attested adage that “though the swift-footed lie race furiously to out-pace truth  in the contention for eternal verity, it takes the courageous acts of some to quicken the process of  unveiling.”

He continued: “ The justices of the Court of Appeal must be commended for this historic judgment. The petitioner, Dr Kayode Fayemi, must be praised for his resilience. This is a resounding victory for democracy.”

Reacting to the judgement, another past President of NBA Mr Olisa  Agbakoba (SAN) said it was ridiculous for an election petition to take four years before judgement could be delivered.

Said he: “ I do not yet  know the details of the judgment yet but I think it is ridiculous that we have an election petition frame-work which takes nearly four years before it produces a winner.  It is obvious that we need to deal with the Petition framework in a comprehensive way.”