Ekiti PDP: Obasanjo’s reference to Salamigate confirmed Fayemi became governor by judicial fraud
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has described former
President Olusegun Obasanjo reference to Salamigate as another
confirmation that the Minister of Mines and Steel Development and
former governor of the State, Dr Kayode Fayemi only became the
governor of Ekiti State through judicial fraud, maintaining that he
(Fayemi) has never won any election in his life.
Salamigate is the terminology used to describe the controversial
Appeal Court, Ilorin judgment delivered by Justice Isa Ayo Salami,
which removed Engr Segun Oni of the PDP from office and declared Dr
Kayode Fayemi governor of Ekiti State on October 15, 2010.
While playing host to members of the Correspondents Chapel, Nigeria
Union of Journalists, Ogun State Chapter, at his hilltop residence in
Abeokuta on Sunday, Obasanjo said; "...Our judges must be committed in
fighting corruption. They must be committed to fighting corruption.
Because if the investigation is very sound and you have `ogbologbo’
lawyer to handle the case, if you have Salamigate, you know what the
answer will be.”
The Ekiti State PDP in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti on Monday and
signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Mr Jackson Adebayo, said;
“Fayemi never won the 2009 rerun governorship election. Rather, he was
awarded victory by Justice Salami after cancelling votes in wards
where the PDP won and this has been further established by former
President Obasanjo.”
The PDP said Nigerians should recall that records of telephone calls
and messages between Justice Salami and APC chieftains like Lai
Mohammed before and after the judgment were made public, confirming
that the judgment was obtained by fraud.
“It should also be recalled that even programmes of Fayemi’s swearing
in ceremony and other souvenirs were printed more than two weeks
before the judgment was delivered.
“Up till today, that Appeal Court judgment of October 10, 2010 that
made Fayemi governor is not being cited as authority in any election
matter and with Obasanjo’s reference to Salamigate as terminology for
judicial manipulation, it should be clear to Fayemi himself that he
became governor by judicial fraud.
“Perhaps, Fayemi may now have to ask Baba Obasanjo what he meant by
Salamigate. He should also ask Engr Segun Oni that he cheated out of
office why he dragged Justice Salami and others before the National
Judicial Council (NJC),” the party said.