Judge Withdraws From Fayose's Case Over "Intense Pressure"

Indications have emerged that the case filed by the E-11 to challenge the eligibility of the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose to contest in the election that produced him might not be heard anytime soon. The judge assigned to the case which was billed for hearing on Monday, 10th November has withdrawn, citing "pressure" as the reason behind his action. There are insinuations however that Justice Segun Ogunyemi might have received threats to his life.

The case might therefore have to wait till a new judge is willing to accept it.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party had earlier sent a petition to the Chief Justice of the state, Justice Ayodeji Daramola stating its displeasure in the way the case was being handled.
The petition signed by the PDP state Chairman, Chief Idowu Faleye, reads in part: “we are surprised, however, to be informed that the same judge, Justice Ogunyemi had resumed sitting over the same case he had voluntarily withdrawn from.
When we probed why the same judge, whose action caused unmitigated crisis in the state prior to the swearing in of the new governor of the state and a party in the case, we were informed that the National Judicial Commission (NJC) directed him to resume sitting over the case, however, our investigation at the NJC proved to the contrary. Our source at the NJC asked a rhetorical question of when the NJC has become the assigning judge of cases pending before a state high court.”
The E-11 challenged Fayose's eligibility on the premise that a panel of inquiry had indicted him, leading to his impeachment in 2006.