By  Gbenga ARIYIBi, Ado Ekiti
Ekiti State Government  has vowed to appeal the judgement of the Federal Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State that Engr Segun Oni tenure terminates in 2011, saying the 1999 constitution was very clear about the tenure of a governor.

According to the press  statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti yesterday by the Chief Press Secretary to Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Wale Ojo-Lanre   said the judgement cannot stand the test of judicial precedence, saying; “Section 180 (subsection 2a) of the 1999 Constitution is clear on when the tenure of office of governors and presidents ends and this has been settled by the Supreme Court.”

Ojo-Lanre, who described the judgment as curious, strange and a pyrrhic victory for those who are desirous of getting power through the backdoor, noted that Constitutional matters like the one on tenure of elected public officers can only be settled by the Supreme Court.

“Even as we are not afraid of standing for elections anytime provided the Constitution is followed, we wish to state that this judgment cannot withstand test of judicial precedence and will definitely fall flat like a pack of cards at the appellate court.

We are definitely going to appeal the judgment immediately because we know that it is a known fact that in the legal circuit, the judgment of a lower court cannot supersede that of the Supreme Court and in this case, there is a subsisting judgment of the Apex Court.

“Most importantly, it is provided in Section 180 (subsection 2a) of the 1999 Constitution that the governor shall vacate office at the expiration of a period of four years commencing from the date when he took the Oath of Allegiance and oath of office,” the governor’s spokesperson said.

While reiterating the readiness of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for elections at whatever level, Ojo-Lanre said;

“We are not afraid of standing for elections at any level, even at the shortest notice because PDP is the party to beat in Ekiti.

“Those running from one court to the other know that are doing so because they cannot win election through the ballot box.  They know that even if election is held tomorrow, PDP has the capacity and capability to be victorious.

“Therefore, we in the PDP are not bothered by the court judgment because whether the governorship election is held next year, 2013 or even next week, we are sure of winning resoundingly.”

In his reaction, the former governor of the  state, Mr Ayo Fayose has  described the judgement as an end to electoral fraud in the state, saying there was no hidden place for  the governor, Engr Segun Oni and the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party[ PDP] in the state.

According to Fayose , the judgement has provided a veritable forum for Engr Oni to face the electorates, who according to him are tired of the government  for  non performance.

‘’The judgement is an end to electoral fraud, definitely, there is no  hidden place for Oni and the PDP who is already tired of that government for non performance

‘’Thank God, the new chairman of the Independent National  Electoral Commission[ INEC] is not like Ewu who does not obey courts’s order

Also reacting, the Action Congress [AC] in the state has hailed the judgement, saying it was a welcome development

According to the press statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti by Mr Yemi Adaramodu, Director of Communications, Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisations, said the judgement has renewed the faith of Nigerians in electoral democracys

‘’The controversy surrounding the issue of when Mr. Segun Oni’s tenure would expire had been finally laid to rest today at the Federal High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State.

‘’In exposing the chicanery of Ekiti PDP shenanigans that the tenure of Mr. Segun Oni ends in 2013 as a result of INEC’s backdoor victory at the chaotic re_run election of 2009, Justice A. Alagoa ruled that the tenure of Mr. Segun Oni will constitutionally end next year, 2011.

‘’The judgment has once again re_affirmed the faith of Nigerians in electoral democracy while it has dashed the hopes of incorrigible political interlopers who are bent on profiting from electoral robbery.

The confidence of Nigerians has once again been restored in the electoral process as it concerns the fixed tenure of elected public office holders. It is a paradox and political heresy that legally confirmed poll robbers would enjoy tenure extension as widely but ignorantly orchestrated and celebrated by the interlopers in Ekiti.

It amounts to robbing salt on injury for a regime that does not enjoy the mandate of the people to unilaterally declare that it would spend more than the constitutionally required period in office. It is worse when such unpopular regime had brought nothing good but pains and pestilence to the hapless people it claimed to govern.

It is a relief to right thinking Nigerians therefore, that our country is not a jungle where a wrongdoer would be allowed by law to benefit from his own wrongdoing. It is particularly sad that Ekiti PDP pretenders have rolled out the drums to celebrate an imaginary tenure elongation which is not backed by any law.

We congratulate Ekiti people who had been physically and psychologically traumatized by the empty boast that confirmed Ekiti poll robbers had been rewarded with tenure extension.

Today’s ruling is a signal to similar claimants of tenure extension  that no constitution would encourage a confirmed poll robber by extending his tenure  as any society where such is encouraged is eternally doomed.

We congratulate the judiciary for proving once again that it is capable of living to its billing as the last hope of the common man and a bastion for the rule of law as against the rule of man and we urge it to continue to restore the confidence of Nigerians in electoral democracy.