Court Halts Fayemi’s Bid To Stop Judicial Panel

An attempt by a former governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, to stop the judicial panel set up to probe his administration failed on Tuesday, as an Ado-Ekiti High Court refused an application praying for an interim order to restrain the Judicial Panel of Inquiry pending the hearing of a motion for injunction.

In his short ruling, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye said Fayemi’s request for an interim order could not be granted because the defendants filed a notice of preliminary injunction challenging the competence of the court to hear the substantive suit.

However, the request for accelerated hearing by Fayemi of the case was granted as the court ruled that the substantive suit would now be taken together with the defendant’s preliminary objection on the next adjourned date, July 31.

Defendants in the suit are the governor, Attorney General, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Justice Silas Oyewole (panel chairman), Mr. Gbemiga Adaramola, Mrs. Bolawale Awe, Mr. Idowu Ayenimo, Mr. Omodara Vincent, Mr. Adesoba Oluremi and Mr. Sunday Bamise (panel members).

Justice Ogunmoye, who said he had taken a judicial notice of all processes before him, held that it has been settled in law what the court considers before granting such application.