Fayemi Didn’t Commit Illegality in Composition of Electoral Body

Ekiti State Government Thursday hit back at the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) over its comment that the Chairman of the
State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), Justice Jide
Aladejana, was a dismissed judicial officer and not fit to hold
such a sensitive position.

The government insisted that Aladejana was never dismissed from
the bench by the National Judicial Council (NJC) as claimed by the
PDP and that his appointment didn’t breach the law or vitiate the
composition of SIEC.

PDP, in a statement by its state Publicity Secretary, Jackson
Adebayo, had last week alleged that Fayemi of violating the
existing statute by appointing a “dismissed” judge as the chairman
of such a high ranking commission, accusing the ruling party of
plotting to compromise the conduct of the December 7 elections.

But, dismissing PDP’s allegations yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti
State Information Commissioner, Mr. Muyiwa Olumilua, clarified that
Aladejana was only suspended after the ill-fated impeachment
against former governor Ayodele Fayose in 2006.

Olumilua clarified that the then acting governor, Hon. Tope
Ademiluyi, who emerged following the proclamation of the state of
emergency by former president Olusegun Obasanjo, had reinstated
Aladejana and asked him to resume duty as a judge, thereby lifting
the said suspension placed on him by the NJC.

“Being a State Judge, the NJC had no jurisdiction, or authority
to dismiss or suspend him, as he was an employee of the state, not
the federal government.

“The NJC can only recommend such to the governor, but the power
and the authority lies with the state government, to either accept
or reject the recommendation of the NJC. It has no powers to
enforce it.

“Governors Segun Oni, and Kayode Fayemi, did not reverse the
decision of Hon. Tope Ademiluyi, retaining Justice Aladejana as a
Judge in the employment of Ekiti State Government.

“The said suspension is still being contested at the Supreme
Court and still awaiting ruling.

“All said, Justice Aladejana is still a Judge of Ekiti State
Government, and is eminently qualified to be appointed as the
Chairman of SIEC. Nothing precludes or vitiates his appointment,”
he stated.

During the imbroglio leading to Fayose’s impeachment in 2006,
the then Hon. Friday Aderemi-led state House of Assembly had
suspended the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Kayode Bamisile,
for allegedly hobnobbing with Fayose.

The Assembly said the alleged fraternity between the duo had
compromised the impeachment panel set up by Justice Bamisile to try
Fayose over allegations of gross misconduct.

Subsequently, Justice Aladejana was appointed in acting capacity
to fill the vacancy in the judiciary, which the NJC said was a
flagrant violation of the laws and the principles of separation of
powers.