Ekiti courts shut down indefinitely

Following the tension generated by the trial of the Governor-elect  of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose,  over a case instituted to challenge his eligibility of the June 21 governorship election in the state, the Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola,  has ordered an indefinite closure of all courts in the state.
Daramola said through the Chief Registrar of Ekiti High Court, Obafemi Fasanmi, that the closure became compulsory because of the insecurity of judicial officers in the court premises in spite of the heavy presence of security forces, comprising  men of the Nigerian Army, Police and Department of State Se
curity,  among others. Fasanmi said in a statement  that the shut down was induced by series of attacks being launched against judicial officers of the High Court,  Ado Ekiti, by political thugs, including harassment and  manhandling  of Justices John Adeyeye and Segun Ogunyemi. He said the date for re-opening of the court would be announced later. The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Wale Fapohunda, who narrated how Justice Adeyeye was assaulted, said he was informed  that those who carried out the assault on Adeyeye, yesterday, allegedly acted on the orders of the governor-elect.
Fapohunda  said Justice Adeyeye, who was presiding over a case, had confronted Fayose, while he was moving into the court premises with his supporters and advised him to desist  from moving around with machete-wielding thugs. Fapohunda said Adeyeye’s confrontation with Fayose led  to exchange of words.
But Fayose has vehemently denied the allegations, describing it as not only unfounded, but spurious, adding: “ I am  not aware that a judge  was beaten. In fact , this  is strange to me.
“This is reckless  and strange to me. Though, I visited the Election Petition Tribunal as a party to the case and I was the only one that was allowed passage by security men among others,  to the Tribunal.
“How can I order the people to beat up a Judge that has nothing to do with me? At what point was this Judge beaten? Was he a member of the Tribunal? Because  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 custodian of the law got compromised with politicians, then anarchy sets in. 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 Governments and you now want to come through the window, it won’t be like ice cream party to APC. I would not be too cheap like Segun Oni. I am not going to be cheap at all  because I am elected by the people.
“I don’t care about whatever they  write about me because I have grown a thick skin. The strategy of APC will not work. Nobody, no matter how highly placed, would remove me cheaply”, Fayose said.
Addressing the press men on the matter, Fapohunda, said “I was informed that the irate youth attacked the Judge on the order of the Governor elect. We don’t want a judiciary that will be subjected to intimidation and harassment, so we are calling on the Fayose’s Lawyers on how to respect the dignity and sanctity of the Court.
“Though, I have not spoken with the victim Judge directly, but all the relevant judicial officers had confirmed to me about the action of the hoodlums. I will personally report this to the Legal Practice Disciplinary Committee of the NBA , because the Lawyers to Fayose would be directly held responsible.
Fapounda added that there were no pictures taken to prove the allegation but he was expecting testimonies from lawyers who witnessed the scenario before he writes to the Disciplinary Committee of the bar and the Nigerian Judicial Council and the Nigerian (NJC