Lawyers disagree on Fayose’s tenure

THE move by the Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, to seek an extension of his tenure due to the abortion of his first term through impeachment is attracting diverse reactions.

The governor, on Monday said he could contest the 2018 governorship election in the state to complete his first term that was truncated in 2006.

Constitutional lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, speaking on the issue, said the governor will be right to seek such a relief.

According to him, if the 2006 impeachment that got his first term terminated seven months to its full course had been ruled illegal and unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, then the governor would be entitled to the outstanding part of the four-year mandate.

According to him, “if the Supreme Court says his impeachment in 2006 is illegal and unconstitutional, then it would be deemed that he had not spent the outstanding seven months and it would mean those seven months still subsist.”

A social commentator and the second vice president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Monday Ubani pointed out that the governor would be doing so at his own discretion.

“Please, the constitution is quite clear; you get elected as the governor of a state, you are expected to spend four years.

“Honestly, the constitution does not recognise whether you were impeached at one certain time or not. The law is crystal clear on this; you get elected, spend your four years and leave.

“Doesn’t the governor have lawyers and advisers? I believe even Ekiti State has an Attorney General, then I am wondering and surprised why he would make such a declaration.

In an SMS exchange with a former president of the NBA, Olisa Agbakoba, he said he was abroad. He didn’t comment on the issue.