Fayose silent 24 hours after Fayemi’s victory

Ayo Fayose

Twenty four hours after the announcement of the result of the Ekiti State governorship election result, the State Governor, Ayo Fayose is yet to publicly speak on the issue. 

This is  unlike the Fayose we know and in sharp contrast to his 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.

An unrepentant critic of the President Muhammadu Buhari government, Fayose will most likely condemn the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Fayose is also expected to announce a legal action to challenge the outcome of the election as announced by INEC which 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.

.

As expected, Fayose’s party, the PDP has rejected the outcome of the election.

PDP 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 reaction, 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.