The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Ekiti
State, western Nigeria, Mr. Olawale Fapohunda, has vowed to sue the
state governor-elect, Ayodele Fayose, for allegedly ordering that a
judge of the High Court in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital, be beaten
up
on Thursday by suspected thugs.
Fapohunda said he
was going to personally take up the issue with Fayose’s lawyers for not
teaching him what decorum meant at a court premises.
He
also said each of those affected by the incident would individually
institute a suit against Fayose, adding that many lawyers were affected
and that a number of vehicles were destroyed in the attack.
In a telephone interview with our correspondent, the
Attorney-General said the attacks by Fayose started days ago, but that
the incident of Thursday sealed his level of impunity.
“I will hold lawyers of the governor-elect personally responsible,” he said.
He lamented such level of impunity, saying it portends grave danger for not just the legal profession, but the entire country.
He further described it as a huge tragedy, wondering what would happen to the average Nigerian if judges cannot be protected.
He
lamented that while this attack was on-going, policemen at the scene
only looked the other way and could not even rescue the judge.
He
said such level of impunity shown by the governor makes it obvious that
he would have no regard for the judiciary or constituted authority when
he is eventually sworn into office.
Fapohunda said he was sure that Fayose’s confidence appears to be that he enjoys the backing of the Federal Government.
“It
is amazing and shocking. Regretably, it was in the presence of the
police…there is going to be a myriad of suits against him,” he said,
while noting that the attack was a dangerous precedent which, if not
nipped in the bud, would make anyone who thinks he may not win a legal
battle order the beating of lawyers and judges.
Source:PM News
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