Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has reacted to the Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday in Abuja, which upheld his election as governor of the state.
We had earlier reported that the seven-man panel of the apex court led by Justice John Fabiyi, in a unanimous decision, upheld the earlier decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Ekiti State Governorship Election Tribunal, which had both earlier ruled that the petition challenging Fayose’s victory lacked merit.
In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, the Supreme Court dismissed all the grounds of appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress (petitioner) and resolved all four issues arising from the appeal against the party.
In his reaction to the ruling, a relieved Fayose thanked the people of Ekiti for their unwavering loyalty and love for him.
“I am formally dedicating this victory to God and to them”, he said in a statement, which he personally signed and issued to journalists in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
Fayose noted that majority of Ekiti people having voted for him ten months ago, and confirming the victory by his party, the Peoples Democratic Party in the March 28 and April 11 general elections, showed that they are unequivocal about their choice and their determination to protect and defend that mandate.
The statement reads in part:
“I cannot but appreciate the Apex Court for protecting democracy and also for living to the expectation of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed, who had assured that under his leadership, the judiciary would not subscribe to any plot to change the outcome of elections through the instrumentality of the Court.
“I think the necessary lessons must have been learnt and it is obvious that Nigeria is evolving democratically. To my opponents, I plead with you to sheath your sword and join me in the development of Ekiti State. If truly our struggle is about service to our dear State, it is time to come together and channel all our resources towards the development of the State.
“I am irrevocably committed to the protection of all, including the opposition in the State. Nobody is infallible, and I am not a perfect being. The only one that is perfect is God, but He, in His infinite mercies has made me the Governor of Ekiti State today. I have a term and tenure; there will be another opportunity for Ekiti people to decide who governs them.
“Rather than trouble the peace of the State, our friends in the opposition parties should accept the will of God concerning our dear State and wait till 2018. I thank all stakeholders and I am assuring them that I will leave Ekiti State better than I met it. My special appreciation also goes to the security agencies for being alive to their responsibilities”.
