Posted by By Tokunbo Olajide\Akure on
Journalists and lawyers wishing to witness tomorrow's ruling of the Ondo State Election Petitions Tribunal have been subjected to scrutiny by the State Security Service, SSS, just as security has been beefed up around the state.
Journalists and lawyers wishing to witness tomorrow's ruling of the Ondo State Election Petitions Tribunal have been subjected to scrutiny by the State Security Service, SSS, just as security has been beefed up around the state.
The SSS is also screening and limiting the number of party officials to be granted access to the High Court, Alagabaka, Akure, venue of the tribunal's ruling.
The security agency, it was learnt, had requested the tribunal to first forward names of those to attend the ruling to it (SSS), for security checks, after which they were issued accreditation cards.
The agency adopted the security checks to prevent any hitch, as tension mounts ahead of the long-awaited judgment by the Justice Garba Nabaruma-led panel.
Anxiety further heightened yesterday evening in Akure, the seat of government, as the Secretary to the tribunal, Hajia Rasheedat Rasheed, formally announced that the ruling will come up tomorrow, ending days of speculations.
Though the capital city was calm this morning, there are fears that violence may break out in the aftermath of tomorrow's judgment, in Ondo town and Owo, regarded as 'political flash points."
But the state police command has tightened security across the state, with mobile policemen deployed in strategic locations where they search motorists. Meanwhile, Akure monarch, Oba Adepoju Adesina, the Deji of Akure, has ordered residents to stay at home tomorrow, to ensure peace during the verdict.
Tomorrow's judgment is the climax of over a year of fierce legal battle between the incumbent Governor Olusegun Agagu of the PDP, and Dr. Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Party. The period has also been characterized by war of words - with accusations and counter-accusations of plans to foment violence in the state - between the Agagu and Mimiko camps.