Ekiti Group accuses Chief Judge of arm-twisting judge on E-11 case against Fayose

By Ekiti Movement For Good Governance (EMGG)

The Ekiti Movement for Good Governance (EMGG), has accused the State Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola of putting undue pressure on Justice Segun Ogunyemi to resume the case filed by a group, E-11, challenging the eligibility of Governor Ayodele Fayose to contest the June 21, 2014 gubernatorial election.

In a statement issued on Sunday, by EMGG Secretary, Dr Abiodun Aina, the group alleged that All Progressives Congress (APC) leader, Senator Bola Tinubu was putting pressure on Justice Daramola to either "deliver or return the N200 million he received to stop Fayose from assuming office."

The group said it had it on good authority that the Chief Judge lied to Justice Ogunyemi that the National Judicial Council (NJC) had mandated him (Ogunyemi) not to withdraw from the case.

EMGG said; "We are aware that the Chief Judge is compelling Justice Ogunyemi to assume sitting on the case so that the N200 million already collected can be justified.

"Our question is, when did NJC asked Justice Daramola to compel Justice Ogunyemi to continue sitting on the E-11 case by fire by force?

"Is it the duty of the NJC to compel judges to sit on cases even if they do not want to?

"Most importantly, can Justice Daramola produce the correspondence between him and the NJC, in which he was directed to compel Justice Ogunyemi to sit on the case?

"The reality is that NJC did not give such directive."

While advising the Chief Judge to go and sort out whatever issues that he had with Tinubu and former governor, Kayode Fayemi on the handling of their 'Fayose must not be sworn-in' agenda, the EMGG said; "Now that Fayose has assumed office, those who lavished millions of naira on the agenda should know by now that they put their money on a bad business."