With all modesty do I need to share this rhetoric in the public domain, simply because I am one of the many people who are painstakingly waiting to see what direction the law will go in the matter of Ekiti State.
Your Lordship, I am still bothered about the Ekiti issue, I chose this platform because I can’t be very sure that my letter/petition will be delivered on your esteemed desk, therefore, I think this medium is convenient and faster in addressing same minds of non-learned Nigerians and to be simplistic-Ekiti descendants who are in the dark. I on behalf of the people assume that some learned colleagues will bail us out of our darkness in matters before your lordship in the temple of Justice. Like I said, these grey areas are in respect to matters affecting Ekiti State.
I have just shortlisted 7 of them for your lordship’s attention:
• My Lord, is it not an embarrassment for a court of law to be perpetually locked with keys and highly militarised for any reason? I think the Courts are hallowed and mustn’t be desecrated! What explanation have the temple of justice have to tell the International Court of Justice for the closure of the Ekiti State Court Complex, comprising of the State High Courts, the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal in Ado-Ekiti. With due respect my Lord, the people of Ekiti State via their comments and also on social media are already having a doubting mind on the independence of the Nigerian Temple of Justice. I beg that our court should be opened NOW!
• We were made to know from the elementary knowledge of Law that is supreme, a respecter of nobody, blind, impartial, has no emotions, and its sanctity must be upheld. Likewise this same law is supposed to be made for the people; the people are not made because of the law. What happens in a situation when the deliberate choice of the people is a threat to the enforcement and sanctity of the Law? Which is Supreme: The People or the Law?
• My Lord in the Temple of Justice, does the law accepts mistakes and errors on oath? A case study of Chicago State University-University of Chicago and Federal Polytechnic Ibadan and The Polytechnic Ibadan which is a State-owned University. I think the Citizens People’s Party and E-11 are nursing is that; won’t the immunity clause enjoyed by Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu be showered on Mr. Ayo Fayose when he is eventually sworn-in come 16th October 2014, in reference to the case of Gani Fawehinmi v Bola Tinubu on the popular certificate forgery Igbosere High Court Matter?
• My Lord, when will the on-looking police officers on duty who were watching the assault on Justice Adeyeye be prosecuted? What becomes of a State whose judges were harassed and a very senior of them was beaten blue-black by God knows who, while the office of the Chief Judge of the State was invaded with his Court Register torn into pieces? We lovers of justice are awaiting when the suspects will be paraded before the general public and prosecuted which we didn’t actually thought was going to be this far. We felt the NJC panel should have done much by fishing out the likely suspects while the Nigerian Police Force prosecutes, but with the development my Lord, there is no hope in this new direction as the members of the police, who were already alleged to have compromised during the ‘maximum beating’ of the judge is now the chief investigator of the matter where she was also part-off. My Lord, every Nigerians as at this time expects that the policemen on duty at the court premises who couldn’t rescue the lord justices should have been expelled from service and their names published, but unfortunately there weren’t!
• My Lord Chief Justice of Nigeria, my primary worry about all of this matter between the CPP & E11 v Fayose & Ors is that, is there urgency in this matter or is the matter time-bound? Why I felt this discussed is also because a lot of versions were spread about when the matter should be addressed and brought into finality. This has unnecessarily heaten the polity of our dear State and has cause the heavy militarization of the Court premises and its environs. I am afraid my 18-year old state is matured enough for all of this.
• My Lord, like what we are experiencing in Ekiti State now, when the courts are shut down by the pronouncement of the Chief Judge of the State via the Chief Registrar of Court, does it mean that the judiciary arm is shut? If yes, does it mean that the Judges cannot perform their constitutional activities? If yes, who performs the swearing-in ceremony, oath of office and allegiance for the Governor-elect since we have not the President of Customary Court of Appeal in the State?
• My Lord Justice, what will eventually happen if the worst scenario happens to the Governor-elect, i.e disqualified from participating in the election? Will there be an order for a fresh election, will the first runner up take over, or will the speaker take charge? What then becomes the fate of the Election Petition’s Tribunal that is in charge of election related matters? Does it all worth it or are these issues on the neck of Mr. Ayo Fayose, the Governor-elect just an academic exercise?
Without trying to bring the integrity of the Nigerian Judiciary and my Lord Justice into disrepute, these among others are my concerns for your attention and on behalf of the good people of Ekiti State.
Thank You for your time.
Adeolu Oyebode, a Freelance journalist and Political Activist.
Email: adeoluoyebode@gmail.com
Twitter: @adeoluoyebode
Mobile: 08064406846
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