Fayose Writes CJN, Alleges Fresh Plot to Oust Him; it is Cheap Blackmail, APC Replies

EKITI State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has written the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, of efforts to compromise a section of the Judiciary and muzzle democracy in their desperation to oust him from office.
In a letter he addressed to Justice Onnoghen, Fayose alleged that “this time, the plotters of this judicial coup-d’etat plan to procure the services of a compromised or malleable judge to get self-serving ‘jankara’ and kangaroo judgment with the intention of having the Supreme Court reverse itself on the June 2014 Ekiti election.
“Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi boastfully claimed that they have enlisted the assurances of Justice Okon Abang and one or two other judges in the concocted fresh suit, hinged on the report of a useless, senseless, and orchestrated Military report not known to the Electoral law.”
Urging the CJN to take “notice of judicial pronouncements by courts of concurrent jurisdiction as well as the scathing remarks of appellate courts on how the said Justice Okon Abang has been used in the past by anti-democratic forces to endanger democracy and engage in deleterious miscarriage of justice”,
Fayose prayed that the Judiciary would not succumb to devious plots to undermine its independence and integrity and rubbish its good name and hard-earned reputation any more.
“My Lord, you have a duty to ensure that no Judge under your watch is enlisted into this diabolical act by any rampaging anti-democratic elements.
“The embarrassing incidents currently playing out on our National Judicial horizon, with several judicial officers, including serving Justices of the Supreme Court, enmeshed in simulated and orchestrated corruption scandals and indictments by agencies of the Federal Government because they had refused, at one time or the other, to serve the base interests of the ruling APC government in matters
pending before their Lordships, have kept us wondering whether the Judiciary will succumb to these unwarranted harassments and intimidation meant to coerce and cower it into submission and make this very important and indispensable Third Estate of the Realm subservient to the arbitrary wishes, whims, and caprices of the Executive and political desperados,” he said.
Describing himself as “a leading opposition figure in Nigeria today that has been very critical of the anti-people policies of the Federal Government and its anti-democratic actions that endanger our renascent
democracy”,
The governor therefore expressed the confidence that Justice Onnoghen in particular and the Judiciary in general would not only refuse to fall for the APC’s cheap and pedestrian blackmail but would also resolutely and confidently defend the hallowed grounds of the Judiciary and secure them from desecration by anti-democratic forces running riot all over the country.
When contacted, the Special Assistant on Media to Dr Kayode Fayemi, Mr Yinka Oyebode, said he would rather not dignify Governor Fayose’s rantings with a response. According to Oyebode, It is simply a case of the wicked running when no one pursues.
“It would appear, Governor Fayose wakes up daily in search of new controversies and making one spurious allegation after another. And it does not really matter to him whether such allegations are reasonable, logical or sensible. This allegation is not only irresponsible; it is quite unfair to the two former governors of the state.
“And one is not surprised at this, because under Fayose falsehood has been elevated to the level of statecraft, sustained by machinery of state.
“My advice to him is: Let the governor go and honour the promises he made to the Ekiti electorate (If He Ever Made Any). Let him pay workers their salaries, take governance more seriously and make the state safe for lives, property and investments. If he can do these, then he needs not fear no one.
“However, this is certainly a poorly contrived alibi for his ineptitude and apparent low capacity for the serious business of governance.
“It is purely a cheap blackmail that will not fly.