Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose is yet to publicly speak on the Ekiti governorship election, 24 hours after conclusion.
This is in sharp contrast to Fayose’s usual swift reaction to national issues and matters concerning the state.
Fayose, whose popularity, interest in the poll and alleged attack by the Police ahead of Saturday’s exercise, were widely reported in the media, is expected to reject the result.
The staunch critic of the President Muhammadu Buhari government will most likely condemn the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and the All Progressive Congress (APC).
Although an Election Tribunal would be set up to hear grievances concerning the poll, Fayose is also expected to announce a legal action that may drag all the way to the Supreme Court.
His spokesman, Lere Olayinka, was yet to respond to enquiry for the governor’s position on the outcome as at press time.
The APC candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, was declared winner by INEC Chief Returning Officer, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka, in Ado Ekiti.
“Having certified the requirements of the law, Dr. Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressive Congress, is hereby declared as the elected governor”, Olayinka, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan said.
Fayemi defeated his closest rival and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prof Kolapo Olusola.
Results released by the INEC showed that Fayemi garnered 197,459 votes to beat Olusola who polled 178,121 votes.
DAILY POST reports that In 2014, Fayose floored the new Governor-elect in all 16 local government areas in Ekiti.
Already, Fayose’s party, the PDP has rejected the outcome of the election.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said: “The process, characterized by open alteration of results, brutalization of innocent citizens, barefaced cruelty and intimidation of our members by security agencies, is a brazen assault against democracy and a direct subversion of the will of the people which is completely unacceptable.”
In his statement, PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus charged Nigerians who believe in democracy and rule of law “not to be deterred by the obvious vote robbery in Ekiti State on Saturday because it would not stand the test of the almighty”.
Secondus added that Justice has the stamina to go all the way to the destination while injustice cannot as it terminates midway to the race, what we need is patience.
Meanwhile, there was drama on Sunday as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, declared that Fayose would be arrested after he loses his immunity.
The Governor’s term in office expires on October 15, 2018.
EFCC wrote at 12:37pm: “The parri is over; The cloak of immunity torn apart, and the staff broken. #Ekiti Integrated Poultry Project/Biological Concepts Limited N1.3bn fraud case file dusted of the shelves. See you soon”.
But the tweet was deleted when DAILY POST checked at around 3pm.
The statement has generated backlash with respondents accusing the agency of bias and targeting only political opponents of President Muhammadu Buhari.
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