By Kenneth Ehigiator
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has warned against using the court to thwart the forthcoming general elections in 2011.

He spoke against the backdrop of the ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja which restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from acquiring the Direct Data Capture, DDC, machine, following the suit filed by Bedding Holdings Limited.

But speaking with newsmen at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, yesterday, Governor Fayemi said the commission had the statutory duty to organise for the country a free, fair and credible elections, adding that this onerous responsibility should be endangered by any court.

He expressed satisfaction that the commission already said it would challenge the ruling because of the obvious dangers it posed to the elections.

On apprehensions that the time constraints under which the commission was currently preparing for the elections, Fayemi said it shouldn’t be a problem for the commission, stressing that nobody could endanger the election because of its importance to the corporate existence of the country.

He said: “I think we should have some confidence in INEC.  It’s led by a very distinguished person who is committed to organizing a free and fair election but vigilance is what is important on our part.

“If INEC is being challenged on account of DDC machine, INEC has gone to court to respond to that challenge.  The timing, I don’t think INEC will be stopped from organizing its job, it has a statutory duty that can’t be subverted, undermined by frivolous court processes.”

He advised Nigerians to be vigilant to ensure anti-democratic forces did not work against the elections through court processes or other means.

On the declaration by Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State that his state remained a no-go area to Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Fayemi said there was nothing he (Daniel) could do to move against the wind of change blowing in the South West.

According to him, the progressives in the country are in full force to seize the reigns of power across the country, and not only the South West, during next year’s elections.

“Well, we wish Governor Gbenga Daniel luck. We know he is on his way out of Ogun, the progressives are back in full force and there’s nothing they can do about  that,” said Fayemi, who was in company of his Osun State counterpart, Alhaji Rauf Aregbesola.