Ekiti 2018: Why we sued Fayemi ― Segun Oni group

The campaign organisation of Chief Segun Oni, one of the aspirants that lost the ticket of the All Progressives Congress for the July 14, 2018 governorship election in Ekiti State, Segun Oni Campaign Organisation, has given reasons why it went to court to challenge the emergence of Dr. Kayode Fayemi, as the party’s candidate for the poll.
The position of the Segun Oni Campaign Organisation was contained in a communique it issued at the end of its expanded meeting in Ado Ekiti.
The communique was signed by its Director General, Dr. Ife Arowosoge.
It said members of SOCO were “aware of the recent case pending before the High Court of Ekiti State instituted by the government of Ekiti State against the candidate of our party, Dr Fayemi, for the purpose of disqualifying him from contesting the forth-coming election slated for July 14, 2018.”
SOCO held that the suit by the government was aimed at “rendering our party incapable of presenting candidate at the election or removing him from office after winning the election if Ekiti State government wins their case no matter how long that takes.”
It said: “It is on this note we unanimously resolved to support the fore-sighted legal action instituted by the Segun Oni group as this will not only prevent the party from not being part of the governorship election but, very importantly, strengthen the rule of law and our democracy in Nigeria.
“The concerned and informed APC members should endeavour to educate our teeming supporters and members of the public that the main purpose of the court action by the Segun Oni group is to rescue our party particularly at the state level, should the Ekiti State government’s case is decided against our candidate at any time.”
The group also said the matter was also “to protect the best interest of the members of the group and the greatest interest of the greatest number of Ekiti people,” adding: “The legal action will defend our rights, privileges and interests within the party.
“We appreciate the counsel of our South West leaders, recently read in the media but we plead for their understanding that our decision to go to court is to protect in particular, the current and future best interest of our group members of the party that are suffering so much unwarranted abuse and humiliation and who are not seen, heard or recognised as part of APC.”
SOCO also alleged that Fayemi’s Campaign Organisation has also excluded other contestants for the party’s governorship ticket.
It said: “The John Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation (JKFCO) has since from onset adopted the attitude of non-inclusiveness, ostracisation, marginalisation and demonstration of open hatred for Segun Oni and his group.
“The insinuation for all these started before the primary when it was reported that the main reason why Dr. Fayemi joined the race was to prevent a “stranger” like Segun Oni from taking over the APC. Their gospel belief is that Chief Segun Oni, the former Deputy National Chairman (South) for APC is a PDP member who is a stranger to the APC.
“All efforts by Segun Oni and his group in all the 16 local government areas of Ekiti State to make Fayemi and his group treat us as one united political family has proved abortive. It has become more worrisome in that the Fayemi group has continued its acts of marginalisation, maltreatment, harassment and intimidation of our members at our party rallies.”