Eligibility: Oni’s lawyer accuses Fayemi’s supporters of preempting judgment

Counsel for Segun Oni, Chief Ademuyiwa Adeniyi, has accused
supporters of Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State of preempting
the judgment of the Supreme Court in the suit filed by Oni to
challenge Fayemi’s eligibility.

After Oni lost at the Court of Appeal, he approached the Supreme
Court, seeking to overturn the decision of the appellate court
which affirmed Fayemi’s eligibility to stand for election.

The Supreme Court heard the appeal on April 2 and reserved
judgment till April 18, 2019.

However, Oni’s lawyer, Adeniyi, in a letter dated April 5, 2019
written to Fayemi’s lawyer, R.O. Balogun, complained about some
social media reports making the rounds, suggesting that the Supreme
Court had delivered its judgment and had dismissed Oni’s appeal
against Fayemi.

Adeniyi made reference to one such report, tagged, “Breaking
News: Supreme Court dismissed Engr. Segun Oni case & affirmed
the Court of Appeal judgment in favour of Dr Fayemi.”

According to Oni’s lawyer, the social media reports were
“sponsored and promoted by supporters of Dr Fayemi.”

The lawyer accused one Osika Seyi Ayeleso of posting on the
Ekiti First Whatsapp platform on April 4 at 12.30pm that Oni lost
to Fayemi at the apex court.

He said the same post was placed on the Ekiti First Whatsapp
platform by one Oluwaseun Famiodu (popularly called ejanafish) from
Ode Ekiti in Gbonyin Local Government.

Adeniyi alleged that it was the same way Fayemi’s supporters
flooded the social media with similar reports shortly before the
decision of the Court of Appeal, which went against his client.

He said, “Ordinarily, I would have counseled my client and his
advisers to ignore and or discountenance this, but for the fact
that prior to the pronouncement of the judgment of the Court of
Appeal in CA/EK/94/2018, this same scenario occurred and indeed,
excerpts of the judgment yet to be delivered were posted on the
social media – only to be taken down shortly before my client could
capture and print.

“It behoves me as counsel to draw the attention of their
Lordships at the Supreme Court to this development, but I shall
refrain from doing so for now.”

Adeniyi, however, said if Fayemi’s supporters did not desist
from posting the stories complained about, he would ensure that Oni
report the issue to the Supreme Court Justices.