Appeal Court ruling: Sack Justice Abang now, Fayose tells NJC; Ibrahim heads to Supreme Court
Following the Appeal Court ruling Wednesday on the identity of the PDP candidate in the Ondo State governorship election this Saturday, feisty Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has called on the National Judicial Council to “save the judiciary by sacking Justice Okon Abang.”
The Appeal Court nullified Abang’s earlier ruling of October 14, 2016 which gave the PDP ticket to Jimoh Ibrahim. Fayose called Abang’s judgment a fraud, adding, “it is obvious that Justice Abang is representing the interests of some cabals.”
Meantime, Mr Ibrahim has headed to the Supreme Court to challenge the verdict of the Court of Appeal even as INEC has obeyed the Appellate Court ruling by reinstating the name of Eyitayo Jegede into the ballot as the rightful candidate of his party, the PDP.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, the Fayose said, “In the face of these indictments by the appellate court, the NJC must wade in and save the judiciary from Abang.
“Today again, three justices of the appeal court descended on Justice Abang, describing his judgments imposing Jimoh Ibrahim as the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Ondo State and the one affirming Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the PDP National Chairman as fraudulent.
“It should be recalled that in June, a five-member panel of the court of appeal led by Justice Morenike Ogunwumiju said Abang ‘raped democracy’ when he annulled the election of Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, and ordered INEC to issue a certificate of return to Mr. Uche Ogah without evidence of forgery against Dr. Ikpeazu. The court went on to say that Abang embarked on a wild goose chase and that he spoke from both sides of his mouth.
“These are clear indictments on Justice Abang and in a civilised society, he ought to have resigned without the prompting of anyone. Or how can a judge that has been adjudged severally as giving fraudulent judgments and acting like Father Christmas still sit in judgment over cases involving Nigerians?
“The NJC must do the needful by sacking him forthwith so that the bench can have a new lease of life.”