Senator Smart Adeyemi has called for a thorough probe of a leaked conversation between Senator Dino Melaye and Justice Akon Ikpeme, of the matter.
Last week, Sahara Reporters published the tape of a conversation which suggests an inappropriate connection between the controversial Kogi state senator and Justice Ikpeme, the chairperson of the Kogi State Election Tribunal.
Adeyemi was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 general election and he said he suspected foul play when his petition against Melaye’s victory was struck out by the Elections Tribunal chaired by Justice Ikpeme.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, the former representative of Kogi-West senatorial district, said, “I hereby call for a thorough investigation by the appropriate authorities, that is, the Chief Justice of the Federation, the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General for the Federation, the National Judicial Council, the EFCC, the ICPC and the DSS.
“I wish to emphasise without any fear of contradiction that in the Nigerian judiciary, there are people of high integrity; who are God-fearing. Our judiciary is still one of the best in Africa and, indeed, our professionals compete favourably with the best of legal practitioners around the globe.
“Now, to the kernel of this discourse; after the judgment of Justice Akon Ikpeme at the National Assembly Tribunal sitting in Lokoja, the people of our senatorial district were shocked and perplexed as to the outcome of the ruling of the judge.”
Shedding more light on his dismissed petition against the controversial Melaye, Adeyemi said, “In the first instance, our election petition before Justice Akon Ikpeme was hurriedly struck out for no justifiable reason. Then, we proceeded to the Appeal Court to seek redress. The Appellate Court ruled that our matter should be heard and we went back to the Tribunal.
“We sensed a foul play in the way and manner our petition was struck out by Justice Ikpeme, so we petitioned the President of the Court of Appeal that Justice Ikpeme is perceived to be biased and that our case be assigned to another judge.
“Our request was granted and the case was re-assigned to Justice Diran Akintola led panel. But Ricky Tarfa SAN wrote and also filed a counter-petition and our case was taken back to Justice Ikpeme.
“Though, we know that there is an end to litigation and this particular Petition has been decided one way or the other yet, the following are pertinent factual and moral records of what transpired at the Tribunal, which are now questions for Justice Ikpeme and her team to answer, in order to erase the misconception (if any) of corruption which hovers around them and to save the image and integrity of the judiciary.
“The tribunal ordered a recount of the ballot papers and it was discovered that 2500 void votes were counted for Dino Melaye to be declared winner of the election. Why was no action taken on this finding?
“That the Justice Ikpeme led panel accepted a sheet of paper, as report of primaries in the face of an authentic report of primaries brought and tendered during the hearing of the petition by INEC officials.
“That Justice Ikpeme gave probative value to a sheet of paper as reports of primaries tendered by a youth corps member allegedly coming from INEC office Abuja without an identity card.
“That the Tribunal was satisfied by records that Dino Melaye was not a product of the APC primaries election, which is against section 87 of the Electoral Act.’’
Senator Melaye has strongly denied the authenticity of the leaked conversation, accusing Sahara Reporters of having a personal vendetta against him.
He stated this in a tweet on his personal twitter handle (@dino_melaye), tweeting, “Sahara Reporters and awada kerikeri using voice over to malign me because my case with them comes up a in few days time (5th June 2017).”
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