Fayemi did not influence my victory against APC in court ― Olujimi

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5 years ago

Senator Biodun Olujimi

The lawmaker representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Senator Biodun Olujimi has revealed that Governor Kayode Fayemi didn’t influence tribunal and appeal court judges in reclaiming her mandate from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.

She was reacting to allegation made by a group of APC leaders led by Senator Tony Adeniyi last week that Fayemi unilaterally changed the venue of the Appeal Court sitting from Ado-Ekiti, the state capital to Kaduna and influenced the judges to subvert justice in her favour.

Olujimi who described the allegation as mischievous, slanderous and malicious, said she retrieved her stolen mandate not only because the election was marred with irregularities but also not conducted in substantial compliance with the provisions of the 2016 Electoral Acts.

Tribune Online reports that the Appeal Court sitting in Kaduna had on November 6, 2019 upheld the unanimous tribunal judgment sacking the candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Prince Dayo Adeyeye while declaring the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s candidate, Olujimi winner of the Ekiti South Senatorial election held on February 23.

The former senate minority leader in a statement in Ado-Ekiti, on Thursday, said the allegations that Fayemi negotiated her victory was not only an insult on her integrity but also a calculated attempt to smear the pedigree of the judges.

The PDP chieftain noted that her victory was a triumph of truth over falsehood and reflection of the electorate’s wishes, claiming that Adeyeye lost unanimously at both the Tribunal and Appeal Court due to the proactiveness of her lawyers.

Olujimi said: “My attention was drawn to a slanderous, mischievous and malicious write up by some lawyers and members of the APC imputing that judgement was purchased in my case at the Ekiti Senatorial Tribunal and Appeal court.

“My initial reaction was to say I am not a member of their party and to allow them steam in their sauces. On the second thoughts, I felt they and their co-travellers might misconstrue silence to be admission of guilt.

“Let me make it clear, that at no time before, during and after the trial did I meet with nor discussed the case with Governor Kayode Fayemi.

“As a committed party person, I saw the allusion to the fact that Governor Fayemi negotiated the judiciary on my behalf as an insult, not only to my integrity but that of the noble judges who I never met but were fearless in the discharge of justice despite the odds and of course, on the governor whose preoccupation is only about his party.

“I will not hold brief for anyone but state that my case against Prince Adeyeye was straight forward. It was on the issue of my stolen mandate bordering on voodoo votes that were added to give him victory.

“It was an issue of sorting real ballots from ‘the rest’ and counting them in the presence of INEC officials, Police, DSS and lawyers of both parties. In fact, after the recounting of the real votes of two local governments, it was clear that the game was up.

“The lawmaker who advised Adeyeye and other members of the Adeniyi-led APC group to withdraw their allegations, asked the National Judicial Commission to act swiftly to and ensure they stand trial for maligning the integrity of the judges.”

On the speculations of joining the APC, she said: “For the umpteenth time, I am not a member of the APC and will never seek refuge from my enemies. Dr Kayode Fayemi is the governor of Ekiti state and i will accord him his due respect as I have done for others before him, it doesn’t make me a member of his party but a properly raised adult.”

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