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.