Pro-Fayose thugs beat Ekiti judge, tear his robe

Riot policemen in front of the Ekiti High Court, Ado-Ekiti... on Thursday

For the second time in four days, people suspected to be political thugs on Thursday disrupted proceedings at the Ekiti State High Court in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday.

A sitting   judge,   Justice John Adeyeye, was   beaten up   and his suit torn by the thugs.

The record book of the Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, was also torn into pieces by the thugs who also   disrupted proceedings at the state Election Petitions Tribunal.

The tribunal sits on the high court premises in Ado-Ekiti.

The tension in the court forced   Daramola to order the immediate closure of all the state high courts.

It was gathered that Adeyeye, who was presiding over a case that had nothing to do with the last Ekiti governorship election, courted trouble when he called on the Governor-elect, Ayo Fayose, to caution the people following him to the tribunal.

“The people following Fayose were making noise close to the courtroom when the judge came out and saw the governor-elect. He challenged him to control the youths but an argument ensued between them and suddenly some of them who are definitely political thugs descended on him and tore his suit.

‘‘They also tore the record book of the Chief Judge.”

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Wale Fapohunda and the Chief Registrar of the high court, Obafemi Fasanmi, confirmed the attack on Adeyeye.

Fapohunda, at a news conference alleged that those who carried out the act did it on   Fayose’s instructions, whom he accused of going round the court premises with a large number of supporters.

He said that Adeyeye had accosted Fayose and advised him to desist from moving around with machete-wielding thugs and causing disruption of court proceedings.

According to the commissioner, the advice   led to exchange of words which degenerated into the manhandling of the judge.

But Fayose also told journalists that the allegation was not only unfounded, but spurious.

He said, “I am not aware that a judge was beaten. In fact, this is strange to me. Though I visited the Election Petitions Tribunal as a party to a case and I was the only one that was allowed passage by security agents to the tribunal.

“ To the best of my knowledge, the three judges at the tribunal handling the case actually sat.

“How can I order the people to beat up a judge that is handling a case that has   nothing to do with me ? I ask, at   what point was the judge beaten? Is he a member of the tribunal?  I went to the tribunal and not the regular court.

“But I want to point out that a situation whereby judges or judicial officers’ who should be custodians of the law get compromised by politicians, breeds anarchy. The judge handling the suit against my qualification dropped the case because of tension and because he lacks the confidence to continue.

“It would have been better for him to insist that he would try the case based on its merit. It is sad that most of our judges have compromised.

“If you have been defeated in all the 16 Local Government Areas and you now want to come through the window, it won’t be like ice cream party for the APC (All Progressives Congress). I would not be too cheap like that of Segun Oni (a former governor of the state). I am not going to be cheap at all because I was elected by the people.

“I don’t care about what they write about me because I have grown a thick skin. The strategy of the APC will not work. Nobody, no matter how highly placed, would remove me cheaply.”

Fasanmi, in a statement, announced the closure of the courts. He explained that the increasing concern over the spate of attacks by political thugs and their persistent presence on the premises of the court in the past few days were responsible for the action.

The chief registrar said the courts would remain shut until adequate and effective security measures were put in place to protect   “our judges, magistrates, members of the bar, members of staff of the judiciary and other court users.”

He said it was regrettable that another set of political thugs would   invade the court premises   and   beat him up Justice Adeyeye and tear his suit into shreds.”

Indicting the police for their role, he said, “The police officers on guard looked unconcerned   as judges, magistrates and other members of staff had to run for their dear lives while court properties were either damaged or completely destroyed.

“The courtroom of the   Chief Judge was not spared in the   assault and destruction.Some   members of staff attached to the CJ’s office were beaten up and his court record book torn into pieces by the political thugs who also invaded and disrupted proceedings at the election petitions tribunal within the high court premises in Ado-Ekiti.”

The   thugs, including Okada riders and artisans became unruly during the hearing of the petition filed by the APC against the June 21 victory of Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party.

As soon as the panel chaired by Justice Muhammad Sirajo rose to write a ruling on the schedule order, they got out of control and started hurling stones at the APC lead Counsel, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN).

The presence of armed policemen, operatives of Department of State Service and Armoured Personnel Carrier did not deter them.

Holding tree branches, the surging crowd threatened to deal with other lawyers representing the APC.

Efforts by Fayose   to control the crowd failed.

When he noticed that the   policemen were becoming overwhelmed by the people, Fayose   moved out to talk to them but only got their attention for a while .

Calling   Akeredolu and other APC lawyers unprintable names, they attempted to enter the tribunal’s sitting room   through the window while at the same time   throwing objects.

The arrival of the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, however, brought the situation under control.

The tribunal, following a motion by Akeredolu, commended Lakanu for bringing the situation under control.

The police boss, who arrived at the venue with more policemen and escort vehicles dispersed the crowd by firing   tear gas canisters.

Angered by the police action, the   mob picked up some of the canisters and threw them back   at the policemen.

The tension on the court premises heightened     when one of the fired canisters shattered the windscreen of a Toyota Camry marked Abia, ABSJ 62 belonging to a member of the tribunal.

People in some courtrooms almost rushed out thinking the car would explode.

Justice Sirajo, who was shocked by the incident said, “All of us are Nigerians. We know ourselves well. We will do what we have taken oath to do. Once in a while, we experience this drawback. For those affected , I’m sorry.”

Lakanu supervised the evacuation of the tribunal judges and the lawyers with a promise to lead them out of town.

In an interview with journalists, the Police boss said, “Actually it was rowdy.I had to leave my office and we have cleared everybody. The judges are happy and we are going to escort them out of town.”

Referring to the Monday attack on Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi, who is handling a case on the eligibility of Fayose, he said, “You can see that the court is very porous. The people came in torrents. We tried to save the lives of the judge first; nobody was injured; the judge was protected and we even effected arrest.

“They were too many, and of course politicians are allowed to go about with their supporters. Initially, they were peaceful but when we discovered they were getting rowdy, we had to react.

“I will personally lead the team that will lead the judges and lawyers out of town. “

Before adjourning till October 14 for hearing, the tribunal ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to provide enabling environment for parties in the matter to inspect electoral materials.

It refused the decision of the commission to reduce the number of people allowed for each of the parties to four.

The tribunal said its ruling on the subject provided no limit on the number of experts that could be brought for inspection.

PUNCH