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Tag: Fayose

  • Governors to Fayose: We’ll miss your invaluable contributions

    … Congratulates Fayemi

    The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) said on Monday it would miss the invaluable contributions of outgoing governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, at its meeting.

    The Forum also congratulated the Ekiti governor- elect, Kayode Fayemi, for his victory at the poll.

    According to a statement signed by the Head of Media at NGF, Abdulrazaque Barkindo, the Chairman of the Forum, Abdulaziz Yari, urged the incoming governor to join hands with the other governors in the country to strengthen the Forum and add value to their deliberations at their monthly meetings.

    The statement reads: “the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar, on behalf of the governors of the 36 states of the Federation congratulates Dr. John Kayode Fayemi on his resounding victory in last weekend’s election to become the governor of Ekiti State once again.

    “Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar said elections are usually healthy contests that determine who keeps the mantle of leadership in the state for a certain period of time and not a victor and vanquished affair.

    “Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar said all contestants regardless of their party manifestoes primarily are agents of governance that wish to move the welfare and wellbeing of their people to the next level.

    “He added that since the people of Ekiti have spoken, the governor-elect, who once showed humility and courage and congratulated the outgoing governor four years ago should this time around also be magnanimous in victory by expressing his fervent desire to govern Ekiti for the benefit of all.

    “The NGF Chairman, while wishing the outgoing governor of Ekiti State Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, luck in his new endeavour and stating that the NGF would miss his invaluable contributions at its meetings, also welcomes the incoming governor to the Forum where he is returning as a ranking and experienced member.

    “Governor Yari Abubakar hopes that Fayemi will join hands with the other governors in the country to strengthen the NGF and add value to their deliberations at their monthly meetings.”

     

  • Ekiti: We will reclaim mandate in court, says Fayose

    Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has finally spoken on the outcome of the governorship election held last Saturday in the state.

    Reacting in a series of Twitter posts to the election in which his deputy Professor Kolapo Olusola was defeated by Dr. Kayode Fayemi , Fayose said the mandate would be reclaimed in court.

    He said: “If APC truly won, why was it that there was no jubilation in Ekiti ? That victory of Kayode Fayemi is pyrrhic, we will reclaim the stolen mandate in the court by the power of God.”

    “As for me, I am Peter Ayodele Fayose , I hold with my head high. I can never be suppressed. I don’t lose battles and I will not lose this. By the power of God, I will laugh last.”

    Read Also: Fayose a street-type thug, says Presidency

    Fayose said what Buhari won as referendum from Ekiti people , Nigerians, and international community is big shame.

    He said:”The President should bury his head in shame for using the police, army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and INEC to snatch the mandate given to Olusola and deliver it to Fayemi “whom Ekiti people rejected.”

    “On this Ekiti election, President Buhari demonstrated truly that he is not a democrat, but a dictator and fascist per excellence.”

    “The President should note what the Bible says which applies to him: “He that wears the armour should not boast as he that removes it.” May God rescue our country.”

     

  • Fayose a street-type thug, says Presidency

    •Victory a credit to Tinubu

    The Presidency yesterday described Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose as a “street-type thug” being mistaken for a “gadfly” by the media..

    It added that the result of Saturday’s Ekit State governorship election won by All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Kayode Fayemi, proved that the PDP is irreparably broken and dismantled.

    The Presidency said the election o remained a credit for the party’s national leader. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    The position of the Presidency was contained in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.

    It said it was clear to Nigerians that Fayose had been “a high-powered nothing.”

    The statement said: “For the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which came second in the election in a state that they held sway, it is a loss politically and psychologically.

    “The result of the election has proved that the PDP is irreparably broken and dismantled. They have nothing to offer to the country and its people. The message from Ekiti is that no state in Nigeria will vote PDP. Never again.

    “As for Mr. Fayose and his morbid brand of politics, it is now his time to reconcile himself to the imminent political extinction he faces, his political career sealed for good. Newspapers have mistaken him for a gadfly who creates discomfort for the government at the centre to make it better, but Fayose is a street-type thug.

    “He never fits the role of a gadfly because he thrives on bitter enmity. Opposition does not mean a negative view of everything. Neither does it translate into a licence to abuse your superiors.”

    The presidency described the outcome of the poll as a referendum on President Muhammadu Buhari and a template for his second term aspiration.

    The statement said: “The people of the politically significant State of Ekiti have spoken against their Governor, outgoing governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, who told them that the governorship election they just had was a referendum on President Muhammadu Buhari. He said candidates Kayode Fayemi and Olusola Eleka were pawns and that he and President Buhari were the actual contestants.

    “In what observers said was the most intense, and a most angry campaign, the people gave their verdict: Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the one-time governor, declared persona-non-grata is now persona-grata again.

    President Buhari has won this referendum. The people of the State have sent a clear message. The politics of brinksmanship, assaults, insults, abuses and Robin Hoodism disguised as stomach infrastructure has been rejected in favour of politics of inclusion, development, responsibility and good governance.

    President Buhari’s war against corruption and insecurity; the message of agric revolution and infrastructure development and fidelity in resource allocation and management have struck a chord with Ekiti voters, who had been lied to and deceived by Governor Fayose.

    “While the opposition continued to rant at him, President Buhari’s uprightness, coupled with incorruptibility and personal integrity, unmatched by any politician in the country has again stood the test of time.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) win in Ekiti means that the Party has control over 25 out of the 36 states of the Federation. The party thus becomes the only one in power in the six states of the South-West geopolitical zone.

    The Presidency said the victory of APC was a credit to the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

    It added: “Besides reinforcing the APC’s position as the only standing pole in the political landscape, it is a credit to the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, against whom all manner of ethnic and religious opposition is being mounted by former President Obasanjo and some of the Asiwaju’s sworn enemies in the sub-region.

    “With this, the political landscape of the South-West has been transformed. APC’s regional strength has been strengthened and the Asiwaju will be respected even better. Without losing patience and decorum, the Asiwaju has proved that rivals must reconcile and come to terms or lose everything.

    “This win is equally a huge boost to the APC and its new leadership under Chairman Adams Oshiomole, who got their first baptism of fire in Ekiti. It is, importantly, a big boost to the second term ambition of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “The winner of the election, Governor Fayemi’s trajectory from a persona-non-grata to a persona-grata again has given a wave of cheer to APC members all over the country. It has given a fresh hope that fake news, lies and propaganda run only short distances, because they have short legs.

    “An old proverb says you can’t beat something with nothing. After all the noise, theatricals and drama, Fayose’s fall came with a thud, not a bang: a high-powered nothing.”

  • Ekiti APC to Fayose, Olusola: accepts people’s wishes

    THE Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) has advised Governor Ayo Fayose and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Prof. Kolapo Olusola to accept the wishes of people who gave their mandate to the governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    The party also hailed President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC leaders for their unflinching support in bringing Ekiti back into progressives fold.

    The victory, Awe said, demonstrated the confidence and trust by “our people in the overall outstanding leadership of President Buhari’s APC-led administration”.

    The Ekiti State APC Chairman, Chief Olajide Awe, in a statement yesterday, said Fayemi was chosen because he was considered by the electorate as having a proven track record of performance and integrity.

    Awe, who also congratulated the deputy governor-elect, Otunba Bisi

    Egbeyemi, expressed confidence that Fayemi would bring the needed turnaround to Ekiti State, hence he needs focused leadership to translate his dreams for the state to reality.

    He expressed the gratitude to the Ekiti electorate for voting conscientiously for the party and expressed his gratitude to the good people of the state for their impressive turnout and peaceful conduct during the election exercise.

    He, however, called for calm and appealed to the opposition parties and their candidates to accept defeat in good faith.

  • Ekiti APC urges Fayose, Olusola to accept defeat in good faith

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has advised Governor Ayo Fayose and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate,
    Prof. Kolapo Olusola, to accept the wishes of people who gave their mandate to the governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
    The party also praised President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the party for their unflinching support in bringing Ekiti back into
    progressives fold.
    The victory, Awe said, demonstrated the confidence and trust by “our people in the overall outstanding leadership of President Buhari’s
    APC-led administration.”
    The Ekiti APC Chairman, Chief Olajide Awe, in a statement on Sunday said Fayemi was chosen because he was considered by the electorate as having a proven track record of performance and integrity.
    Awe who also congratulated the deputy governor-elect, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, expressed confidence that Fayemi will bring the needed turnaround to Ekiti hence he needs focused leadership to translate his dreams for the state to reality.

    Read Also: Ekiti 2018: Gov. Sani-Bello congratulates Fayemi

    He expressed the gratitude to the Ekiti electorate for voting conscientiously for the party and expressed his gratitude to the good people of the State for their impressive turnout and peaceful conduct during the election exercise.
    He however called for calm and appealed to the opposition parties and their candidates to accept defeat in good faith, while seeing accepting the outcome as a no victor, no vanquished one.
    Awe said: “The APC thanks the Ekiti electorate for voting for the Party in the keenly-contested election. The Ekiti electorate has voted for the candidate of their choice, who they consider as having a proven track record of performance and integrity, and who will bring about the kind of turnaround the state needs deserves at this crucial period, through focused leadership, good governance, restoration of cherished values and multi-faceted development.”
    He assured that the Governor-elect, John Kayode Fayemi will surely be magnanimous in victory, and deliver on the expectations of the people of the state.”
    Awe commended the timely action of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), particularly, in averting the danger of the crises Fayose would have instigated by using the state owned BSES to pollute and confuse the Ekiti political space.

  • Ekiti 2018: Fayose loses local govt to APC

    The candidate of the All progressives Congress (APC) in the ongoing Ekiti State election has emerged victorious in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area.
    Kayode Fayemi of the APC polled 13,869 votes in the local government of the outgoing governor, Ayodele Fayose. The PDP had 11,456 votes.
    Even though the PDP won in Mr Fayose’s polling unit and ward, the votes in other wards were not enough to secure victory for his party in his local government.
    The local government has 11 wards and results from each ward was collated at the headquarters of INEC situated in Igede.
    A total of 66,162 electorates are registered in the local government while 27,306 were accredited.
    Of the 27,211 votes cast, 25,849 were valid while 1362 were rejected.
    Only party agents of APC and PDP present at the centre signed the result at 11:06p.m.
    SEE THE FULL RESULTS BELOW:
    AWO WARD 3
    TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 5102
    TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 2245
    APC – 1074
    PDP – 1002
    TOTAL VALID VOTES – 2121
    TOTAL REJECTED – 96
    TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 2217
    NO CANCELLATION
    IROPORA/ESURE/EYIO WARD 8
    TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 5637
    TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 2109
    APC – 937
    PDP – 1033
    TOTAL VALID VOTES – 2006
    TOTAL REJECTED – 103
    TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 2109
    NO CANCELLATION
    IGEDE 3 WARD 7
    TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 3902
    TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 1717
    APC – 665
    PDP – 963
    TOTAL VALID VOTES – 1652
    TOTAL REJECTED – 61
    TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 1713
    NO CANCELLATION
    AFAO WARD 1
    TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 4286
    TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 2036
    APC – 517
    PDP – 1361
    TOTAL VALID VOTES – 1909
    TOTAL REJECTED – 127
    TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 2036
    NO CANCELLATION
    ARE, WARD 2
    TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 4426
    TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 1968
    APC – 701
    PDP – 1095
    TOTAL VALID VOTES – 1850
    TOTAL REJECTED – 108
    TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 1958
    NO CANCELLATION
    IGEDE 2 WARD 6
    TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 5450
    TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 2307
    APC – 891
    PDP – 1190
    TOTAL VALID VOTES – 2114
    TOTAL REJECTED – 187
    TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 2301
    NO CANCELLATION
    IGEDE 1, WARD 5
    TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 5794
    TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 2610
    APC – 1087
    PDP – 1330
    TOTAL VALID VOTES – 2475
    TOTAL REJECTED – 135
    TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 2610
    NO CANCELLATION
    IYIN 1, WARD 10
    TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 6574
    TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 3014
    APC – 2229
    PDP – 612
    TOTAL VALID VOTES – 2887
    TOTAL REJECTED – 110
    TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 2998
    NO CANCELLATION
    IYIN 2, WARD 11
    TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 7148
    TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 3188
    APC – 2218
    PDP – 743
    TOTAL VALID VOTES – 3018
    TOTAL REJECTED – 165
    TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 3183
    NO CANCELLATION
    IWOROKO, WARD 9
    TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 11025
    TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 2658
    APC – 1315
    PDP – 1140
    TOTAL VALID VOTES – 2521
    TOTAL REJECTED – 130
    TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 2651
    NO CANCELLATION
    IGBEMO, WARD 4
    TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 6836
    TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 3454
    APC – 2235
    PDP – 987
    TOTAL VALID VOTES – 3295
    TOTAL REJECTED – 140
    TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 3435
    NO CANCELLATION

  • Ekiti election a national embarrassment – Fayose

    Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, on Saturday described the state governorship election as national embarrassment.

    Addressing journalists shortly after voting in his ward 001, St. David’s Primary School, Maternity Area, Afao, he said the election was compromised by security agents.

    Fayose, who voted at 1:30 p.m., said he was responding to treatment and would return home after casting his vote.

    He said Ekiti people are contending with security agencies, adding that the deployment of 30,000 military and paramilitary officers to the state was to intimidate the voters.

    He said: “I want to say that the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) has good intention. But the process has been hijacked by security agencies. This is a national disgrace and there is danger ahead.

    “Remember we raised all these issues, as I speak ballot boxes are being snatched by thugs in the very eyes of security personnel. What they call ‘see and buy money politics’ is going on right now.

    “The police and civil defence corps are aiding the process. I must repeat this is a national disaster because the election is marred by violence.”

    Fayose said members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were arrested by security personnel.

    “In almost all the local government councils in the state, PDP chieftains are being arrested. They have arrested House of Representatives members. As I address you right now, my chief of staff was arrested and detained an hour ago.

    “We fight corruption everywhere, but when wrong people are in authority, the effort will not yield the desired result. It is the wrong thing that will happen to nation. The Bible says when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in authority this is what you get.

    “If this is the sample for 2019, I must say it is a lost ground. I want to say very specifically that this is a lost ground for the Nigerian electorate. They have taken over the election from INEC,”  the governor stated.

     

     

  • Fayose is only dramatizing, nobody slapped him -Force Headquarters

    The Nigeria Police Force yesterday said allegations by Governor Ayo Fayose that he was slapped and kicked by a policeman were false.

    The Police also said the governor was just being overdramatic.

    The Police said it investigated the matter by inviting the Aide-de-camp (ADC) and the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the Governor.

    Both officers according to the Police said nothing of such happened despite the governor’s claims that the police shot at him and fired teargas that blinded him.

    This was disclosed by the Force spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, on a television programme monitored by The Nation.

    Moshood said: “It was overdramatized and everybody saw how it played out because how do you link up an injured arm with an injured leg and neck?

    “The Executive Governor of the state was not manhandled.  Nobody slapped him because we saw allegation that the Governor was slapped. What were the ADCs doing,  what were the CSOs doing and other security agencies personnel that were with him doing at that point in time?

    “Due to the allegation, those two (ADC and CSO) were invited to Command Headquarters to make statement because the Inspector General of Police after  hearing of the accusations which is something that cannot be actualized directed that the matter be investigated and they were asked if they have deteriorated in their duty and why they allowed a governor to be slapped and pushed?

    ”They made statement that nothing like that happened.”

    On why the crowd were dispersed,  Moshood said: “The incident that occurred was the one that involved people sharing fuel and we are investigating that.

    ”Why must people be induced with fuel and money? It was the people that could not get the money and fuel  that went in there to try disrupt the rally and we tried to disperse them.

    “When they learnt that we were dispersing them with teargas,  people left. Also, no individual has reported to police that anybody was killed or missing because of what happened while we were dispersing the crowd. So, to the best of our knowledge, nobody has reported in any Police station that he sustained injury.”

    He also assured residents of a safe and secured environment during and after the election.

    “The bottomline is that we are interested in providing secure environment for this election to hold and the people of Ekiti people are encouraged to continue to embrace peace.

    “The deployment of 30,000 is no doubt to secure them. If you look at the history of election in this country,  you would discover that Ekiti State is a flashpoint because some people’s utterances are inciting.”

  • Governor Fayose is overdramatic, says Police

    The Nigeria Police Force on Friday said allegations by Governor Ayo Fayose that he was slapped and kicked by a Police officer were false.

    The Police also said the governor was just being overdramatic.

    The Police said it investigated the matter by inviting the Aide-de-camp (ADC) and the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the Governor.

    Both officers according to the Police said nothing of such happened despite the Governor’s claims that the police shot at him and fired teargas that blinded him.

    This was disclosed by the Force Spokesman, Ag. DCP Jimoh Moshood on a television programme monitored by The Nation.

    Moshood said: “It was overdramatized and everybody saw how it played out because how do you link up an injured arm with an injured leg and neck?

    “The Executive Governor of the state was not manhandled. Nobody slapped him because we saw allegation that the Governor was slapped. What were the ADCs doing, what were the CSOs doing and other security agencies personnel that were with him doing at that point in time?

    “Due to the allegation an, those two were invited to Command Headquarters to make statement because the Inspector General of Police after hearing of the accusations which is something that cannot be actualized directed that the matter be investigated and they were asked if they have deteriorated in their duty and why they allowed a governor to be slapped and pushed?

    “They made statement that nothing like that happened.”

    On why the crowd were dispersed, Moshood said: “The incident that occurred was the one that involved people sharing fuel and we are investigating that.

    “Why must people be induced with fuel and money? It was the people that could not get the money and fuel that went in there to try disrupt the rally and we tried to disperse them.

    “When they learnt that we were dispersing them with teargas, people left. Also, no individual has reported to police that anybody was killed or missing because of what happened while we were dispersing the crowd. So, to the best of our knowledge, nobody has reported in any Police station that he sustained injury.”

    He also assured residents of a safe and secured environment during and after the election.

    “The bottomline is that we are interested in providing secure environment for this election to hold and the people of Ekiti people are encouraged to continue to embrace peace.

    “The deployment of 30,000 is no doubt to secure them. If you look at the history of election in this country, you would discover that Ekiti State is a flashpoint because some people’s utterances are inciting.”

  • PDP seeks probe of alleged attack on Fayose

    THERE were protests in different parts of the country yesterday over the purported assault on Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose on Wednesday by the police.

    Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took to the streets in Benin City, Edo State, Yenogoa, Bayelsa State, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja), to draw attention to what they described as the injustice done to the Ekiti State governor and members of the PDP.

     

    Party seeks electorate’s support

    The PDP through its national leadership charged the electorate to be alive to their civic responsibility by coming out in large numbers to vote for the party’s candidate.

    The charge came on a day the party’s Senate caucus called for investigation into the alleged attack on Fayose by the police at campaign rally in the Government House on Wednesday.

    Earlier yesterday, the PDP leaders staged a protest march to the National Assembly and headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Their mission was to demand for credible election in Ekiti and future polls as well as investigation into the alleged assault on its members.

    Led by its national chairman, Prince Uche Scondus, the party leaders urged the INEC not to take sides or to give undue leverage to the APC candidate at the election.

    Speaking on behalf of the caucus, Minority Leader Godswill Akpabio, urged the government to set up a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the matter.

    At a media briefing at the National Assembly, Akpabio said that machinery should be set in motion for the probe panel to bring anyone found culpable to book.

    PPD members protest in Abuja, Edo

    Secondus said that Nigerians and the international community were watching to see if there would be elections in 2019.

    He said that the assurance for 2019 would be from the Ekiti governorship election, adding that intelligence information showed that some INEC officials and some security agents were already in collusion to rig the election.

    Secondus said that if the election was right, it would have consequences on 2019 general elections.

    Addressing the INEC officials who came out to meet the protesting PDP leaders and members, he said, “We want a free and fair election in Ekiti.

    “Anything short of that will be a recipe for problems and crisis, and in our own judgment, there may not be elections because that will be the beginning of crisis in our nation.

    “We believe that the best INEC can give to this nation is to allow free and fair election. If they use all the forces that are available to the government to frighten the people and also use federal might to frighten the people, that will be one sure road to crisis.

    “We want to warn that our party will not condone and will resist every attempt to rig the election in Ekiti and coming general elections.

    “Right now in Ekiti, some of our leaders are being arrested, witch-hunted and the whole of Ekiti is traumatised; they are worried, wondering if they will be allowed to come out on Saturday to vote.”

     

    INEC promises fairness

    Receiving a petition from the party, INEC National Commissioner, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola, re-assured the leaders of the commission’s commitment to credible election in Ekiti and in 2019.

    Ogunmola said: “The mandate of INEC is to conduct free, fair and credible elections, and that is what we are committed to. I assure you that we are not going to do anything short of that.”

    Explaining why the protest was not taken to Police authorities and other security agencies, the party’s spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan told NAN that INEC and National Assembly were critical to the nation’s democracy.

    “The National Assembly enacts laws for the different arms of government in the country and the citizens. We believe it is the backbone of our democracy,” Ologbodiyan said.

    Meanwhile, in Benin City, the Edo State capital, PDP members took the protest to the Police headquarters where they condemned the attack on the party members in Ado-Ekiti.

    The protesters deplored the alleged assault on the governor and his deputy by policemen led by very senior officers.

    Secretary of the party in Edo, Mr. Felix Imoisili, who led the protest, described Wednesday’s incident in Ekiti as “another sad development for Nigeria’s democracy.’’

    Presenting a petition from the party to DCP (Operations), Mr. Olatunji Ayodele, who received it for the command, he called on all concerned to ensure that the election in Ekiti was free and fair.

    He said: “One-man, one-vote and one-youth, one-vote is what we stand for. We are tired of bloodletting which has turned the country into a theatre of war.”

    Imoisili also queried the rationale behind the deployment of large numbers of security men to a civil election when people were being killed daily without security intervention.

    Also yesterday, Chief Gani Adams urged all the stakeholders in the state, including political parties, candidates and the electorate to ensure peace and tranquility in the state, before, during and after the election.

    Adams, in a statement signed by his media aide Kehinde Aderemi, expressed concern over the prevailing situation in the state, saying election should not be a do-or die affair.

    The statement reads: “In the build-up to the election, Ekiti State has been in the news for the wrong reason. A situation where the security of the electorate is not guaranteed is not acceptable to our democracy in the 21st century.

    “I urge the Inspector-General of Police, the Department of State Security (DSS) and other government’s security architecture to rise up to the challenges of ensuring peace in Ekiti this Saturday.

    “A situation where security operatives allegedly wear masks a few hours to an election is uncalled-for.  Therefore, politicians must play by the rule, not forgetting that elections would go, but Ekiti State will remain.”

    He lauded the prompt intervention of Ekiti monarchs for lending their voices to ensure peace in the state, even as he appealed to the INEC to ensure adequate security and a level playing field for all the candidates.

     

    Reps to investigate alleged assault 

    The House of Representatives yesterday resolved to mandate all its relevant committees to investigate an alleged assault on the Ekiti State governor.

    Condemning the alleged assault, it asked President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on the police to apologise to Nigerians over the incident.

    Besides, its members urged the INEC chairman his men to ensure free, fair and transparent election tomorrow.

    The resolutions were sequel to the adoption of the prayers of a motion brought under matters of urgent public importance by two members, Yusuf Tajudeen and Kingsley Chinda.

    In the motion, Tajudeen noted that with just a few days to the 2018 gubernatorial election in Ekiti State, “some men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and other security agencies completely barricaded and took over the Ekiti State Government House, Ado Ekiti.

    “Also noted that heavily armed Policemen and other security agencies locked up, all entry points, prevented the free movement of people into and out of the Ekiti Government House and shot sporadically with the aim to instill fear in the people, ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.

    “Aware that the INEC, in line with its statutory mandate, had fixed the 2018 governorship elections in Ekiti State for Saturday, 14th July, 2018.

    “The Nigerian Police is empowered under S.4 of the Police Act, Cap. P19, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, among other things, for the prevention and detection of crime, the apprehension of offenders, the preservation of law and order, the protection of life and property and the due‘ enforcement of all laws and regulations with which they are directly charged.”