Ekiti election: Fayemi files defence to call 1,009 witnesses

Ekiti state Governor-elect, Kayode Fayemi, yesterday in Ado Ekiti, filed his defence before the election tribunal against the petition by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Kolapo Olusola challenging his victory at the July 14 polls.
Fayemi was declared winner of the election after scoring 197, 459 votes to defeat Olusola, who scored 178, 223.
Olusola, who is also the Ekiti state deputy governor, had earlier filed his petition, with the claims that he won the election and the he should be declared the rightful winner of the election.
The PDP candidate had accused the APC of using the federal might to muzzle opposition, while also accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of falsifying results in Fayemi’s favour.
But Fayemi, while countering the claims of his opponent, stated in his 2,558-page defence with over 3,000 documents as exhibits, that he won the gubernatorial election of July 14, 2018 and urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition of Olusola for lacking in merit.
Fayemi’s legal team led by three Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Hakeem Afolani, Yomi Aliyu and Kayode Olatoke, also would be calling 1,009 witnesses to brace their defence.
Olatoke told journalists after the submitting the documents, that the petition filed by the PDP candidate was a waste of time as it lacked substance and it was sure to be dismissed by the tribunal.
He said Fayemi won in 12 out of the 16 local governments areas of the state, while Olusola won in four.
Olatoke also dismissed the PDP claims of over voting in some polling units, describing them as frivolous and baseless.
“The second ground of Eleka’s petition is alleged over voting, which is another false claim.
In any case, the petition in itself is self defeating,” he said.
“Fayemi won convincingly based on his popularity.” Other senior lawyers in the team representing Fayemi and the APC are: Lateef Fagbemi, John Baiyeshea, Akin Olujimi, Jelili Owonikoko, and Segun Ajibola.
Hearing date is yet to be fixed.