A legal practitioner, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has called on the people of Ekiti State to be moderate in celebrating the victory of a former Governor of the state, Mr. Ayo Fayose, in the last governorship election. He said the governor-elect “cannot change.”
He however said since Ekiti people had made their choice, “I can only wish them well.” Falana, in an interview with The PUNCH in Abuja, on Wednesday, said the credibility of the election being used as a defence point in political circles depended on certain factors.
He said, “Ekiti people have voted and made their choice; I can only
wish them well. We know what happened before, I am a student of history.
I know that Fayose cannot change and so why do you think I should be
celebrating? I can only wish Ekiti people well for their choice. Fayose
regretted it the last time. So what has changed?. Fayose said he had
changed, which is a reflection of the fact that what happened the last
time cannot be tolerated in a civilised society; let’s wait and see. He
didn’t come with any programme and no manifesto in this election. If
people opted for him, you can only wish them well.”
When asked whether the election was free and fair, Falana said, “It depends on what you mean by a free and fair election.” He added, “In terms of the accreditation, in terms of the actual voting and the collation of results, the Independent National Electoral Commission did very well this time and there was a noticeable improvement.“
"But when you look at the totality of the election, militarisation of Ekiti State, harassment by security forces, disenfranchisement of some people by the military forces, and the fact that the place was invaded with 30,790 policemen, soldiers and members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, you can’t say that was a free and fair election. You must have an election in a free and fair atmosphere.”
Falana applauded the incumbent Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, for accepting defeat and congratulating Fayose.The human rights lawyer said, “Fayemi’s action is very commendable. The governor acted as a patriot and he hasn’t disappointed me. When you are defeated in an election, you must learn to congratulate the winner and he had said it earlier that ‘if the election was credible and I lose, I will congratulate the winner’ and that is what he has done. I think other Nigerian politicians should emulate that. But the duty is on INEC; if INEC conducts a good election, nobody will go to court. That is what Fayemi has shown. He is an enlightened guy and a patriot.”
When asked whether the election was free and fair, Falana said, “It depends on what you mean by a free and fair election.” He added, “In terms of the accreditation, in terms of the actual voting and the collation of results, the Independent National Electoral Commission did very well this time and there was a noticeable improvement.“
"But when you look at the totality of the election, militarisation of Ekiti State, harassment by security forces, disenfranchisement of some people by the military forces, and the fact that the place was invaded with 30,790 policemen, soldiers and members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, you can’t say that was a free and fair election. You must have an election in a free and fair atmosphere.”
Falana applauded the incumbent Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, for accepting defeat and congratulating Fayose.The human rights lawyer said, “Fayemi’s action is very commendable. The governor acted as a patriot and he hasn’t disappointed me. When you are defeated in an election, you must learn to congratulate the winner and he had said it earlier that ‘if the election was credible and I lose, I will congratulate the winner’ and that is what he has done. I think other Nigerian politicians should emulate that. But the duty is on INEC; if INEC conducts a good election, nobody will go to court. That is what Fayemi has shown. He is an enlightened guy and a patriot.”
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