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  • EKITI 2018: Fayose tear-gassed, says I was slapped by policeman

    An attempt by Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose to hold a rally against police advice sparked heavy shooting in Fajuyi area of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
    It was learnt that Fayose was teargassed by riot policemen as he was attending to complaints from People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members that they had been denied access to the Fajuyi Pavilion, venue of the proposed rally.
    An eyewitness revealed that one of the canisters fired from outside the Government House landed very close to Fayose. The governor inhaled the teargas and collapsed.
    The source said Fayose was revived by his security aides and party members and was taken to the Government House Clinic.
    The governor later emerged from the clinic with neck brace to address the crowd that gathered at the Government House grounds.
    Fayose alleged that he was slapped and kicked by a police officer.  He also alleged that an instruction has been given to kill him.
    Deputy Governor and the PDP candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, also alleged that he was beaten by policemen during the melee.
    He called on the international community, European Union (EU) to save democracy in Nigeria which he said is under siege.
    Fayose said: “My people, the Lord will fight this battle; the MOPOL of Nigeria Police, IGP and AIG ordered that the governor should be killed.
    “I was slapped by a policeman, I was kicked and I was shot at. Be of great courage, be not dismayed, this battle will be won.
    “This is an army of occupation, this is not the democracy we fought for. My people, don’t be afraid, I pray they will not cause the 1983 problem in Ekiti State.
    “Ekiti is under siege, how can I be governor of Ekiti State and they treated me like this? My people, stand and keep standing. I will go back to the hospital and remain there, I want you to stand by Eleka (Olusola).
    “I plead with the international community, Nigeria is in trouble, please arise and stand for justice. They have arrested so many teachers, okada riders and PDP members.
    “Come and save PDP, we are in majority, we are a party to beat, come and safe us. They said they are under instruction to kill me and PDP candidate.”
    Fayose, later got emotional and wept while being interviewed by journalists.
    He said: “I am in severe pain, I am in severe pain, should anything evil happen to me, the Inspector General of Police should be held responsible.”
    Olusola said: “They shot sporadically to the air and one of them beat me. I told him that I am the deputy governor, he said deputy governor my foot.
    “We have not moved out to the streets at all, we were walking to our campaign office. The COMPOL (Commissioner of Police) MOPOL (Mobile Police), said to my hearing that it was an instruction from the Presidency.
    “They manhandled my governor and slapped him with the butt of the gun in the back. It was an attempt to assassinate the governor but they will never succeed.
    “Who then is safe in Nigeria? We should tell Buhari that enough is enough; the Presidency should be warned that enough is enough.
    “God is with us, the army that is with us is greater than the army that is with them. God is with us.”
    Ekiti PDP Chairman, Chief Gboyega Oguntuase, accused the Inspector General of having plan to rig the election for the APC.
    Oguntuase said: “When the IGP was CP in Kano State, democracy was bastardized, votes in Kano were rigged.
    “This election shall hold and won by people who are behind PDP. Presently, the police are laying siege to the Government House.”
    Senate Deputy Minority Whip, Mrs. Biodun Olujimi, said PDP members still have the right to hold rallies because the time frame allowed by the Electoral Law had not lapsed.
    She said: “They must be told that enough is enough; our people have been arrested, they are being picked up. If you are popular, you don’t need to be doing all these.
    “We will go to the poll on Saturday and elect a member of the PDP as the next governor.”
    Men of the Nigerian Army and the Police have taken over the Fajuyi Pavilion, which serves as Olusola’s campaign office and sealed off the arena that was scheduled to hold the rally.
    They packed their vehicles inside the arena and kept guard over the facility. An Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) was stationed there.
    The security forces who stopped journalists from taking pictures of the place said they were under instruction not to allow any rally because of the tense situation in the state.
    PDP members who arrived the place in their white apparel as instructed by the governor met the stern-looking security men who asked them to go back.
    The Government House gate was sealed off while the Secretariat Road was blocked.
    The policemen fired several canisters of teargas to disperse the PDP members who had arrived Ado-Ekiti from all parts of the state.
    The party faithful ran helter-skelter as teargas fumes billowed into the sky. The frightened party men and women dispersed in different directions.
    While some of them ran inside the High Court complex, others headed for the old Governor’s Office area and entered the Government House from the rear.
    A close aide to Fayose called Abiola was arrested at Fajuyi area and he is now being detained at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Section at the police headquarters in Ado Ekiti.
    Reporters sighted Abiola as he was being dragged by the police to the CID section.

  • Fayose condemns ‘blockade’ of Ekiti Govt House

    •APC filled stadium with ‘hired’ crowd

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose yesterday accused the Federal Government of blocking the gate of the Ekiti State Government House with security forces.

    Riot policemen prevented vehicles from going in and out of the Government House, but allowed pedestrians to gain access into the facility.

    Drivers’ union members had dropped their vehicles at the Government House, as directed by Fayose Monday night where an all-night party held till Tuesday despite the heavy deployment of security men.

    But pedestrians were allowed to go in with many going to join the Ekiti drivers unions who assembled at the government house since Monday night.

    A musician was on the band stand to entertain the commercial drivers and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members on ground.

    Fayose also mocked the APC final rally held same day, accusing the party of importing outsiders from neighbouring states to fill the stadium.

    Addressing the crowd at the party, Fayose criticised the Federal Government for blocking the gates of the Government House with battle-ready riot policemen.

    The Ekiti governor described the development as “an abnormality”. He thanked his supporters for shaming the APC-led Federal Government by appearing at the Government House, despite the security presence.

    He said the presence of the crowd had proved to the APC that the masses were for him.

    Leaders of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and Pickup and Lorry drivers Association of Nigeria (PLAN) and Okada Riders Association vowed to vote for the PDP candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, in Saturday’s governorship election.

    Fayose said: “It is an abnormality to block the gates of the Government House.

    “If they say I gave instruction to drivers unions to withdraw their services, let the APC give a counter-instruction to them, if they are popular.

    “They (security agencies) blocked gates of the Government House, because they don’t want people to come in. But, you shamed them by still coming.

    “They brought them from Ondo, Kogi, Osun and other neighbouring states; they are all foreigners. They have no voting strength.

    “I will stand up to you (APC) in the election; we will match them bumper-to-bumper.”

    Fayose also berated the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, for questioning the PhD degree of Olusola at the party’s mega rally in Ado-Ekiti.

    He advised Oshiomhole to ask the President to tender his certificate to Nigeria first before he could raise an issue about others.

    “The President was asked to tender his certificate, he hired Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN). They said it was enough for him to present tissue paper as certificate; that’s why he is not performing.”

  • Fayose meets pensioners, seeks support for Olusola

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose on Monday held a meeting with pensioners, urging them to support the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola.

    Fayose and the retirees under the auspicies of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) at the parley held at the Kolapo Olusola Campaign Office in Fajuyi area of Ado-Ekiti discussed the welfare of members.

    The governor disclosed that his administration had saved another N250 million with the Ekiti State Pension Commission.

    He directed that the cash be disbursed to defray part of the eight month arrears owed the retirees before Friday, July 13.

    Fayose thanked the senior citizens for the privilege given him to serve as the chief executive for the second time, urging them to vote Olusola on Saturday.

    He said a vote for Olusola would help consolidate on the achievements of his administration, adding that his preferred successor would accord priority to their welfare.

    The governor said the financial challenges facing his administration was responsible for inability to pay their entitlements as and when due. He assured the retirees a better deal when as soon as the financial situation of the state improves.

    Some of the retirees expressed regret that their monthly pensions have become irregular.

    They commended Fayose for the promise to commence payment on Friday, which they noted would bring relief to them.

  • Ekiti residents defy Fayose’s order to stay at home

    Many residents of Ekiti State on Tuesday defied the order of Governor Ayo Fayose to stay at home as the All Progressives Congress (APC) holds its final mega rally.

    Fayose had on Monday night directed commercial drivers and motorcyclists to withdraw their services from the roads on a day President Muhammadu Buhari was visiting.

    The governor also ordered that major markets in the city be closed and residents stay indoors.

    Many commercial drivers parked their vehicles at the Government House lawn where Fayose an all night party held. He also promised to give each driver that complied N10,000.

    He claimed that he took the action to prevent the killing of his people by Buhari’s men whom he alleged were ready to spill blood.

    Fayose said the transporters would remain indoors until 4.00 pm when the APC rally would have ended.

    Normal commercial activities went on unabated on Tuesday with a good number of commercial drivers and motorcyclists plying their trade.

    Taxi cabs and okada riders picked passengers at bus stops along Ikere Road, Ilawe Road, Adebayo, Old Garage, Basiri, Old Garage, Odo Ado, Oke Ila, among others.

    Market women had thronged Oja Oba and Bisi Markets as soon as 6.00 in defiance of Fayose’s order that the market be closed.

    Read Also: Court orders Fayose to reinstate sacked TUC chair

    APC members were seen in many parts of the city trooping to the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium venue of the rally.

    A motorist who was apparently angry with Fayose’s late night order said nobody could stop him from pursuing his livelihood.

    He said: “Fayose is only afraid of his impending and unavoidable defeat, and that, that is the reason he is trying to do everything possible to frustrate the opposition parties in the state.”

    An Okada rider said: “Just to ensure that we do not come out to work today, he told us to come to NNPC on Bank Road on Monday night to collect 2 litres of fuel each, he also told us to come to Government House to eat food. This is very ridiculous and low of a state government.”

  • Court orders Fayose to reinstate sacked TUC chair

    The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) has nullified the demotion and compulsory retirement of former Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman in Ekiti State, Mr. Kolawole Olaiya, by the Ayo Fayose administration.

    The court also ordered that Olaiya be reinstated to his position as the Principal Legal Officer, the position he occupied before the compulsory retirement, with no loss in seniority or rank to him.

    The court held that the former TUC chairman was not given fair hearing by an Administrative Panel of Enquiry which investigated him for alleged involvement in partisan politics.

    Delivering the judgment in the suit filed by Olaiya, Justice Oyebiola Oyeyoju Oyewumi also ordered that the claimant be paid all his

    salaries and allowances from February 22, 2016, when he was unlawfully retired, till the date of his reinstatement.

    The judge also restrained the defendants from victimising or penalising the claimant from carrying out his duties as a civil servant in the state.

    But the court refused Olaiya’s prayer that he be paid N5 million damages.

    It held that doing so would amount to double compensation after granting a relief that his salaries and allowances be paid from the date of termination of his appointment.

    The state government gave Olaiya compulsory retirement after accusing him of involvement in partisan politics when he appeared at an endorsement rally organised by the Labour Movement for former Governor Kayode Fayemi ahead of the 2014 governorship election.

    An administrative panel of enquiry was set up, which recommended Olaiya’s demotion and compulsory retirement from service.

    The NICN held that “there is no single document on record evincing the fact that the claimant actually canvassed, printed, distributed, pasted and carried the membership card of a particular party, as alleged; also that the video clip relied upon by the defendants is equally not before the court”.

    It added: “It is the law that where facts are not supported by credible evidence, it goes to no issue.

    “I find also that the claimant wrote to the panel requesting it to invite certain members of the labour union vide Exhibit RK5, but they were not invited by the panel to testify.

    “That is an infraction on the claimant’s right to fair hearing and the procedure for determining claimant’s employment. It is in the light of the above that I find that compulsory retirement of the claimant was unlawful.

    “It is in this light that I find that the claimant is entitled to be reinstated back to his position before his unlawful demotion and compulsory retirement on February 22, 2016.

    “He is also to be paid all his salaries and entitlements without losing any rank from February 22, 2016, when he was unlawfully compulsorily retired from his employment by the defendants, till the date of his reinstatement. I so hold.”

  • Edo rigging template won’t work here, Fayose tells Oshiomhole

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has rejected the claim of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, that the election which brought him to office in 2014 was rigged.

    Fayose said his 2014 victory was certified as credible by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the international community, local and foreign election observers.

    He claimed that local and foreign observers rejected the election which brought Oshiomhole’s successor, Godwin Obaseki, to power as Edo State Governor.

    Fayose said the alleged “rigging template” used by Oshiomhole and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Edo State will not work in next Saturday’s governorship poll in Ekiti State.

    Oshiomhole had on Friday accused Fayose of resorting to “panicky measures” including alleged illegal collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) of civil servants and teachers in a bid to ensure victory for his anointed successor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola.

    Fayose in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, said the APC, led by Oshiomhole will meet its waterloo at the poll, adding that the people will retain People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in power with their votes.

    He said: “Oshiomole’s secret plan to use his fraudulent Edo template in Ekiti will never work and it will attract injurious consequences.

    This is because Ekiti people are resolutely determined to resist rigging right on the spot.

    “Contrary to Adams’ diatribe, rumour peddling and rabble rousing unbecoming of an ex- governor and national chairman of the ruling party,  Fayose and PDP are only interested in credible election.

    “Fayose and PDP are raising the alarm because of tell-tale signs that APC and its candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi are plotting to rig the election.

    “The statements by top APC leaders including its former chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun that they must capture Ekiti by all means are very instructive in this regard.

    “Nigerians witnessed the blatant rigging of Ondo and Edo governorship elections by the APC.  In Ondo, it was shameless vote buying. In Edo they stopped vote counting when it was clear PDP was winning and changed the results overnight. Seeing these, who will ask us to stay stupid?

    “Adams Oshiomhole was the mastermind of Edo rigging. He is only calling Fayose the name that rightly belongs to him (Oshiomhole).”

    He added: “If Adams Oshiomhole still has problems with that (2014) election, he should address his misgivings to the US and international community.

    “Besides, APC challenged the election up to the Supreme Court but lost. Is Adams Oshiomhole disputing and despising the highest court of the land?  It must be noted that he himself became governor by the same court judgment.”

     

  • No alliance with PDP, Fayose – Accord Party

    Accord Party  has denied adopting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Prof. Olusola Eleka, for next weekend’s governorship election.

    Accord, is one of the 46 political parties contesting the governorship election in the state.

    Its national chairman, Muhammad Nalado, in a statement in Abuja, said the purported rejection of its candidate, Jacob Aluko, by some persons claiming to be elders of the party in the state is false and unfounded.

    The party, while dismissing the reported alliance between Governor Fayose and the PDP, emphasised backing its candidate for the poll.

    Aluko, according to Accord, has widespread acceptability across the state that will give the party victory.

    Nalado called on their loyalists in the state to come out en mass and vote for the candidate of Accord in the election, arguing that he has the manifesto to address the economic challenges facing the people of Ekiti.

    While denying any alleged agreement between the Accord and the PDP for the party’s candidate to step down for the PDP’s candidate, he maintained the party’s candidate is still very much in the race and heading for a victory.

    The statement lamented the anti- party activities by those sabotaging the candidate, saying its leadership will certainly take disciplinary actions against those involved irrespective of how highly placed.

    It emphasised that Accord will not condone any form of irresponsibility by any member, adding that the leadership of the party has over the past years worked hard to build discipline.

    The party urged members to avoid shortchanging the overall interest of the party for personal benefits.

     

  • Fayose faults DSS crackdown on supporters

    •Promises to pay detainees N50,000 per day

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has said anyone detained by Department of State Services (DSS) who is sympathetic to his cause will be paid N50, 000 per night for the number of days spent in custody.

    He accused the DSS of working with the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government to cow People’s Democratic Party (PDP) supporters and sympathisers.

    The governor raised the alarm that next Saturday’s governorship poll was about to be militarised, accusing the security agency of crackdown on his supporters.

    He condemned the alleged inhuman treatment meted out to a PDP supporter, Mr. Sunday Aborisade, who was detained by DSS for five days before he was released from custody.

    According to him: “It was wicked to have allegedly chained and beaten the PDP supporter to stupor” saying the DSS is funded with taxpayers’ money to protect Nigerians and not to oppress them.

    Fayose spoke yesterday while hosting Aborisade at the Ado-Ekiti Government House after his release from DSS custody.

    He said Aborisade is N250, 000 richer, which is compensation for his alleged maltreatment while in custody.

    The Principal of Ola Oluwa Muslim Grammar School, Mr. Sunmonu Olaoye and two staff members working under him were arrested earlier in the week for allegedly collecting Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from teachers.

    PVCs and their photocopies were recovered from them during the raid on the school.

    Fayose said: “This young man has been arrested by the DSS in the last five days. I don’t know how an organisation that is supposed to protect people will continue to oppress them because they are supporting a political party. They equally warned him not to go out to tell us what he saw.

    “They released him and asked him to come back on Monday. They seized his telephone. He was put in chain in the last 5 days.

    “So also the teachers have been in their custody simply because they are supporters and sympathetic to the PDP.

    “This is not the type of democracy we want. We should not go into oppression. It is only God who gives power. However because of my position to protect the oppressed everyone detained by the DSS, from the day of detention will get N50,000 a night as compensation from government.

    “This boy has been detained for five nights, he will get N250,000 from government as social security. If they like, let them continue to detain them, they will only make them richer.

    “So all the teachers they are arresting here and there should be assured that they will get adequate compensation and we will pursue their case legally.

    “They are there today somebody else will be there tomorrow. Again, it is unfortunate that they went to Ire Ekiti to go and attack the Chairman there. That is why we are saying that this election is about to be militarised and the will of the people suppressed.

    “DSS is the arrowhead working with the APC. INEC must guarantee the people’s right to express themselves through the ballot.”

    Narrating his ordeal in the hands of the DSS, Aborisade said that he was picked up on Tuesday at the Afe Babalola Event Centre in Adebayo area of Ado Ekiti when suspected party thugs attacked some DSS operatives in the course of performing their lawful duties.

    He said: “They detained me for five days. They put chain in my hands and legs. I cannot hear with my left ear now due to the beaten I received from them.

    “They said Governor Fayose has thugs and I should tell them where they are hidden and where they hide guns but all these I don’t know anything about.

    “They said one of their officials was beaten at the Afe Babalola Event Centre last Tuesday, but I don’t know anything about it and I didn’t beat anybody there. I had only gone there to attend the Town hall meeting with stakeholders.”

  • Ekiti poll: PDP, Fayose haunted by past misdeeds, says Oshiomhole

    NATIONAL Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, are being haunted by their past misdeeds and have resorted to panicky measures in their desperation to win the July 14 governorship election in the state.

    Addressing newsmen ain his maiden news briefing at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja yesterday, Oshiomhole said that both Fayose and his party were afraid that the rigging machinery they deployed against former Governor Kayode Fayemi during the election that brought Fayose into office would also be deployed against them by the APC.

    Comrade Oshiomhole said: “We all know that Fayose was rigged into office. And this is no secret because the military officers involved have since confessed to the roles they played as well as those involved in the dollars that were withdrawn from the NNPC. These are no secrets anymore.

    “I think that Fayose thinks that the very instrument he used to come to power will be used against him. This is a party of change and so, we are not about to copy the darkest side of the PDP.

    “If he is afraid of being rigged out, why is he collecting PVC from registered voters and giving queries to people for refusing to surrender their PVC? Why is he harassing heads of institutions and directing lecturers to award 20 per cent free marks to any student that votes for his candidate? “While I have respect for anybody who occupies the office of the governor, I think honestly that Fayose enjoys lying. But the truth is that he is haunted by the ghost of the forces he used to capture power because he didn’t win the last election.”

    The APC National Chairman also accused Governor Fayose and his party of intimidating workers in the state to surrender their voter cards.

    He said the governor had ordered civil servants, teachers and other categories of workers in the state to surrender their permanent voter cards (PVCs), adding that those who refused to surrender their cards had been queried by the government.

    He also alleged that the governor had directed lecturers in institutions of higher learning in the state to award free 20 marks to students who vote for his candidate, adding that since Fayose has never won a free and fair election, he thinks that the process that brought him to office would be used against him.

    Oshiomhole said: “I believe that the people of Ekiti State are very much aware of what the issues are. There is no better evidence of how prepared we are than the fact that the PDP is panicking.

    “You must have read reports that in clear violation of the electoral act, Governor Fayose has instructed civil servants, principals of schools, headmasters to retrieve PVC from civil servants because he is afraid that the civil servants and the people of Ekiti State will not vote for him and in demonstration of that, they are helping to educate the people on why they should not vote for his candidate.

    “He has not paid salaries for one year in spite of the fact that the federal government gave him bailout which he chose to divert to other uses. So, they are panicking, and while we are encouraging people to collect PVC, he is retrieving PVC.

    “We heard that they have started issuing query to workers, including teachers, for refusing to surrender their PVC.

    “I don’t think you need any other evidence that the Governor is panicking, and we can’t wait to have him swept away in a free and fair election on the basis of one man, one vote, one woman, one vote.

    “Secondly, you are all witnesses to the fact that we have conducted elections in the Southwest. In Osun State, we went for the senatorial election and our party lost and they won. We didn’t complain about rigging, because we felt that the people preferred Adeleke.

    “We also went for election in Anambra, and when the governor complained that his security were  withdrawn, the President ordered that they be reinstated immediately. We lost that election to APGA.

    “We went for an election in Bayelsa State and one of the President’s loyalist was a candidate and he lost.

    “For us, PDP rigging machine is not what we want to copy. What we have done is to dismantle it. What Fayose can complain about is that he was never used to winning an election on the basis of merit.

    “His first time, he hid under the then President’s do or die election approach to win and, of course, the same President supervised his impeachment. Now, he must learn to win election by persuading the people. Why should a ruling party hold its rally by the roadside so that you can manipulate the crowd?”

    Reacting to the claims by Governor Fayose that the federal government closed the Akure Airport to deny their leaders the opportunity to attend the rally, Oshiomhole said the governor was crying wolf as nothing of such happened as governors and leaders of the PDP freely landed and took off from the Akure airport with their private jets.

    He also dismissed the claims that APC was trying to manipulate the Independent National Electoral Commission to rig the election in their favour.

    He said: “Fayose said people were not allowed to fly into Akure airport, but our people have been there to produce a tape of how PDP governors and non-governors littered Akure airport with private jets.

    “He has gone ahead to say that INEC wants to rig him out. Every armed robber thinks that every other person is an armed robber. If there is any political party that is on record as having consistently colluded with INEC, it is the PDP. I am an apostle of one man, one vote.

    “I rely on my sole power of persuasion and mobilization and dismantled PDP machinery in Edo State within firing a bullet. We came from the background of people winning election without relying on federal instrument and so don’t need any reinforcement to do what we know best.

    “We will ensure that the rules of the game are obeyed. We have no apology for the fact that this time, Fayose will run on its records and will not be able to use those instruments he used before.

    “If that is what he called rigging, too bad. We have seen a consistent pattern by the PDP that when elections are approaching, they will be shouting rigging, rigging while they are perfecting the act of rigging themselves. “What we have brought on board as the new NWC of the APC is how to monitor and ensure that the rigging machine of the PDP is completely dismantled.”

    On the call that a vote for Fayemi is a vote for herdsmen, he said “Fayemi was Governor in Ekiti State and there were herdsmen when he was governor and he was able to bring leadership to bear and involved the stakeholders. The truth is that we all need each other.

    “So, when people resort to bringing in those divisive messages, it tells you how bereft of ideas they are. And with that coming from a man who called himself a professor, then I said no wonder that most professors are not successful in politics. “I thought that as a Professor, you will have a much richer message. When I watch him saying that a vote for Kayode is a vote for herdsmen, I said poor professor.

    “The message I want to pass across is that Kayode Fayemi is not a stranger to Ekiti Government House, and when he was there, he knew how to manage everyone. Why is Fayose not able to manage that?”

  • PDP, Fayose taking panicky measures – Oshiomhole

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, on Friday accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, of resorting to panicky measure in their desperation to win the July 14 governorship election in the state.

    He accused the PDP of intimidating workers in the state to surrender their voter’s cards.

    Oshiomhole, who spoke at his maiden news briefing at the party national secretariat in Abuja, said the governor has ordered civil servants, teachers and other categories of workers in the state to surrender their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), adding that those who refused to surrender their cards had been queried by the government.

    He also alleged that the governor has directed lecturers in institutions of higher learning in the state to award free 20 marks to students who vote for his candidate.

    The ex-Edo State governor said since Fayose has never won a free and fair election, he thinks the same process that brought him to office would be used against him.

    Oshiomhole said: “I believe that the people of Ekiti State are very much aware of what the issues are. There is no better evidence of how prepared we are than the fact that the PDP is panicking.

    “You must have read reports that in clear violation of the electoral act, the Governor Fayose has instructed the civil servants, principals of schools and headmasters to retrieve PVCs from civil servants because he is afraid that the civil servants and the people of Ekiti State will not vote for him and in demonstration of that, they are helping to educate the people on why they should not vote for his candidate.

    “He has not paid salaries for one year despite the fact that the federal government gave him bailout which he chose to divert to other uses. So, they are panicking and while we are encouraging people to collect PVC, he is retrieving PVCs.

    “We heard that they have started issuing query to workers, including teachers for refusing to surrender their PVCs. I don’t think you need any other evidence that the governor is panicking and we can’t wait to have him swept away in a free and fair election on the basis of one man, one vote, one woman, one vote.

    “We all know that Fayose was rigged into office and this is no secret because the military officers involved has since confessed to the role they played as well as those involved in the dollars that were withdrawn from the NNPC. These are no secrets anymore.

    “I think that Fayose thinks that the very instrument he used to come to power will be used against him. This is a party of change and so, we are not about to copy the darkest side of the PDP. “