Ekiti appeals sack of SIEC members, postpones LG poll indefinitely

The Ekiti State Government has filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, against the verdict of a state High Court that sacked five members of the state’s Independent Electoral Commission.

The state government also announced the indefinite postponement of the local government polls, which the EKSIEC was to have conducted today before the disqualification of the five members of the commission for being card-carrying members of the Action Congress of Nigeria, the party in power in the state.

A statement by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Funminiyi Afuye, reads: “Ekiti state government today filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal sitting in Ado-Ekiti seeking to upturn the decision of an Ado-Ekiti High Court nullifying the appointment of four members of the Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC).

“In the notice of appeal filed on behalf of the state government by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Dayo Adelaja, the appellant sought a reversal of the decision of the court on three grounds.

“They are: that the learned total judge erred in law in holding that the affidavit evidence and the documents placed before his Lordship had established that the 2nd to 6th defendants were card carrying members and sympathisers of registered political parties;

“that the learned trial judge erred in law in holding that the 2nd to 6th defendants/appellants were disqualified from appointment into the Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission; and that the judgment is against the weight of evidence.

“The appellants in the appeal are SIEC, its chairman, Mrs. Cecilia Bosede Adelusi, Christoper Bamidele Oloje, Chief Soji Oloketuyi, Chief Remi Olowoloba, Alhaji Abdulraheem Coker, Governor of Ekiti state, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, and Ekiti State House of Assembly. The respondents are Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and it’s chairman, Chief Bola Olu-Ojo.

“The appellants listed the particulars of the error-in-law to include the fact that the respondents relied on public documents in purported proof of their said allegation which were not true certified copies adding that the appellants relied on certified true copies of their own version of documents in disproof of the claim of the respondents.

“Besides, they claimed that the trial judge wrongly preferred the documents of the respondents to that of the defendants/appellants pointing out that the appellants have suffered a miscarriage of justice in the circumstances.”

In a related development, the commission announced the indefinite postponement of the local government election, which the EKSIEC ought to have conducted today.

The commission’s Commissioner for Media and Publicity, Chief Gbenga Agbona, in a statement said: “Following the judgment of a State High Court which disqualified five of the commission members and restrained the commission from conducting election into any elective position, the commission as a law abiding corporate entity wishes to inform political parties, electorate and all other stakeholders that election scheduled for Saturday February 4 is hereby postponed indefinitely. Further information will be announced later.”