Gov. Ayo Fayose
The police on Thursday in Abuja accused one Peter Alabi of Odo Ayedun- Ekiti, who was said to have been an agent of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the June 21 governorship election of ballot box snatching.

The accusation was contained in the report the police tendered before the Ekiti State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja through its counsel, Chief Olusola Oke.

The APC had filed a petition challenging the results of the governorship election won by the PDP’ s candidate, Ayodele Fayose.The APC alleged that the election was manipulated by the federal government in favour of the PDP.

The party also challenged the qualification of Fayose for the election, stating that  he  had an ongoing criminal case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

While opening its defence, the police through a report signed by the Commissioner of Police (Election), Ekiti State Command, Ikechukwu A. Aduba, stated  that there were delays in few areas but it did not affect the timeous commencement of the election process.

The report reads in part, “Result of unit six  Odogo under ward nine in Ikole Local Government Area was cancelled due to the snatching of the ballot box by one peter Alabi of Odo Ayedun-Ekiti an APC agent who pretended to cast his vote and ran into the bush with the ballot box.
When pursued by the security agents, he tore the ballot papers therein and escaped.

“INEC subsequently cancelled the unit result.”
The police further stated that the command recorded only one electoral offence.

In his own defence to the allegation that he should not have taken part  in the election due to his earlier impeachment on grounds of gross misconduct in 2006, Governor Ayodele Fayose, through his counsel, Yusuf Ali (SAN), told the tribunal that the panel set up then to investigate the alleged offence cleared the governor.He tendered a copy of the report wherein the governor was cleared.

The report which was titled,” Report of the Investigative Panel into allegations of gross misconduct against His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Peter Ayodele Fayose and his deputy, Mrs. Biodun Olujinmi, delivered this Thursday the 12th day of October, 2006” was signed by seven members of the panel with Mr. Remi Bamigboye as the chairman.

The report reads in part,”the conclusion of the panel is that having regard to Section 36 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the sensitive nature of the allegations against the governor and his deputy, and failure of the Ekiti State House of Assembly to appear before the panel, the panel concluded that all allegations of gross misconduct against the governor and his deputy as contained in the notice of impeachment dated 26th of September, 2006 are deemed abandoned by the Ekiti State House of Assembly.

“The panel under the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution and applicable substantive laws of the land hereby dismisses the case of the petitioner.”

The governor further stated that he aligned himself with all the submission of the PDP made to the tribunal.

The PDP in its own defence had told the tribunal to dismiss the petition filed by the APC.

The secretary of the ruling party in the state,  Dr. T.K.O. Aluko, told the tribunal  that the election that brought in Fayose was peaceful, transparent, free and fair.

The three-man panel headed by Justice Siraj Mohammed later adjourned till December 17 for adoption of written address.

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