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  • Poll shift: APC disappointed …urges supporters to be patient

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council this morning expressed “disappointment and disillusionment” at the postponement of today’s presidential and national assembly elections by INEC.

    But the party pleaded with its supporters to be “patient and determined.”

    The Director, Strategic Communications od the campaign council, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN) said in a statement condemned “this tardiness of the electoral umpire in the strongest terms possible.”

    He said President Muhammadu Buhari  “cooperated fully with INEC by ensuring EVERYTHING it demanded to conduct free and fair elections were promptly made available to it. This news is, therefore, a huge disappointment to us and to our teeming supporters nationwide and around the world, many of whom have come into the country to exercise their franchise.”

    He added: “We do hope that INEC will remain neutral and impartial in this process as the rumor mill is agog with the suggestion that this postponement has been orchestrated in collusion with the main opposition, the PDP, that was NEVER ready for this election.

    “We note that all the major credible demographic projections have predicted a defeat of the PDP and it seriously needed this breather to orchestrate more devious strategies to try and halt President Buhari’s momentum.

    Read also: INEC chairman speaks on postponement of polls

    “It did the same as the ruling party in 2015, when it realized the game was up, by orchestrating the postponement of the 2015 elections by six weeks. Now, it may be up to its old trick again.

    “We have earlier raised the alarm that the PDP is bent on discrediting this process the moment it realized it cannot make up the numbers to win this election. We are only urging INEC not collude with the PDP on this.

    “We are truly worried because as early as Friday morning, some known PDP Social Media influencers unwittingly announced this postponement, but quickly deleted the message and apologized to the public that it was fake news. We do not want to be forced to a situation of announcing our total loss of confidence in INEC, because we know where that would leave our democracy.

    “It is in the light of the above that we wish to appeal to Nigerians and our supporters to be patient, calm and resolute despite this temporary setback. Let us not give anyone, especially the PDP, the opportunity to plunge this nation into a crisis, which is what they earnestly desire. Its imminent defeat is just a few days away.

    “Lastly, we wish to draw the attention of INEC and the world to observe that the PDP has clearly and openly said it plans to announce parallel results through some funny device it has procured or developed.

    “We wish to reiterate that it is ONLY INEC that is legally and constitutionally empowered to declare results and it constitutes an offence for anyone to do so. We urge INEC to SPEAK UP NOW and warn the PDP to desist from this ignoble act that is capable of plunging the nation into a crisis of immeasurable proportions.”

  • Buhari mourns supporters who died in Port Harcourt

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday expressed sadness over the tragic death of some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) members in a stampede at the presidential campaign rally held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said that President Buhari was saddened by the tragic loss of lives, extending the his deepest condolences to the victims’ families and friends.

    He also wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

    The President described the deaths as “needless loss of lives and an anti-climax to a highly successful outing” in the oil city that could have been averted if there was an orderly exit from the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium.

    Shehu quoted the President as saying: “It is indeed a great tragedy that Nigerians who have important roles to play in shaping the future of the country and had come to see and hear from us how hard their government is working to build a Nigeria of their dreams, would meet their end in this unfortunate circumstance.

    “I assure the people, with all sense of responsibility, that the party and the government will do everything possible to ensure the well-being and safety of our citizens as they troop out to attend rallies and all other political events.”

    President Buhari assured the government and the people of Rivers State as well as the affected families of the support and prayers of the Federal Government during this difficult time.

    He prayed Almighty God to repose the souls of the deceased.

  • Amaechi urges supporters to mobilise for victory in 2019

    THE Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has told his supporters to mobilise and register more voters for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure victory for the party in the 2019 General Elections.

    He spoke yesterday during a ward-to-ward sensitisation visit, tagged: “Operation Show Your Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs)” to communities in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    Amaechi, a former Rivers State governor, stated that the only way to benefit from government was to elect good leaders.

    He said: “You need to work hard, because if we do not win, you will not get any benefit. The day we win is the day we should expect change in Rivers State.

    “When we win, we will focus more on bettering the lots of our people, because I believe that things should change. The only way to effect that change is to go to your various units and wards and commence new registration of members. I expect the new members to have their PVCs that are the tool you will use to remove bad leaders.”

    APC’s candidate for Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency of Rivers State, Mr. Ezemonye Ezekiel-Amadi, said: “This exercise goes to show that our people are ready to make a change in 2019. It shows that we are ready to mobilise our people for victory, but that does not mean we should go to sleep. We also need to work harder. With what we are seeing today, I can assure you that we will win the elections any time, any day,” he said.

  • 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.”

  • Ex-PDP spokesman Adeyeye joins APC

    •’Fayose is a predator feeding on Ekiti wealth’

    Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant Prince Dayo Adeyeye has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He explained that he defected to the APC with his political structure, the Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM), in the 16 local government areas.

    Adeyeye said he decided to join forces with other eminent Ekiti sons and daughters to free the state from the vulture and predator feeding fat on the state’s commonwealth.

    The former Minister of State for Works promised to work for the victory of the APC flag bearer, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    He urged the people to repose confidence and trust in Fayemi and ignore the allegation by the PDP that the APC flag bearer was coming back to power on a revenge mission.

    He said he was not joining the APC to grab the deputy governorship ticket, adding that Fayemi would soon unveil the identity of his running mate.

    He pointed out that, by his decision to move to the APC along with his supporters, he was saying no to Fayose’s “continuity of impunity, imposition, poverty and unprecedented looting of the people’s common patrimony.”

    Adeyeye, who addressed reporters at his Ado-Ekiti residence, was accompanied by his wife, Princess Adetomilola, and two former aides of Governor Ayo Fayose, Alhaji Ademola Bello and Mr. Deji Adesua.

    Bello, who resigned two weeks ago from Fayose’s cabinet, served as Special Adviser on Cultural Matters while Adesua was Commissioner for Public Utilities.

    Adeyeye, who also served as PDP National Caretaker Committee Publicity Secretary, lost the governorship primary to Fayose’s preferred successor, Deputy Governor Kolapo Olusola.

    Olusola won the primary with 1,191 votes while Adeyeye polled 771.

    Adeyeye alleged that Fayose’s order that delegates should wear “aso ebi” to the shadow poll and the governor’s personal monitoring of votes at the exercise swung the pendulum of victory in Olusola’s favour.

    The ex-minister, who hails from Ise-Ekiti in Ekiti South Senatorial District, served as the National Publicity Secretary of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Egbe Afenifere, and also served as the National Publicity Secretary of the Alliance for Democracy (AD).

    He left the progressive fold in December 2006 when he contested in the defunct Action Congress (AC) governorship primary won by Fayemi alleging the exercise was marred by irregularities.

    The politician, who was a journalist and lawyer, joined the PDP and was made State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Chairman by former Governor Segun Oni before he was later appointed Minister of State for Works by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Shortly after the primary that produced Olusola as winner, Adeyeye vowed not to work for Fayose’s continuity agenda which he said was not in the interest of Ekiti people.

    Adeyeye said he would not allow party loyalty to becloud his patriotic zeal for collective interest and future of Ekiti people.

    He added: “I have said no to Fayose’s continuity of dictatorship, impunity, imposition, poverty, unprecedented looting of our common patrimony and deliberate debasement of the self esteem of our people.

    “For my friends, admirers, patrons and well wishers, I want to reiterate that Fayose is an impossible person to deal with.

    “A pompous martinet with a huge ego, he is deliberately divisive and deceitful. He does not believe in reconciliation and no effort at reconciliation will work with him.

    “Therefore after deep introspection and wide consultation with various stakeholders in this State, my supporters and I have decided to leave Egypt which the Fayose administration represents and join hands with patriotic Ekiti people to board the train of the APC for the onward journey to our promised land.

    “We are joining forces with eminent Ekiti sons and daughters to free our land from the vulture and predator feeding fat on our commonwealth.

    “We want to set our land free and never again shall we entrust our land unto the hands of unknown person with unverifiable pedigree to ride roughshod on our people.

    “We have assurances of Dr. Kayode Fayemi the APC candidate that he has come to right the wrong of the past and not on a vengeance mission as being touted by Fayose and his cohorts.

    “He is now better equipped, well focused and better prepared to move Ekiti forward. Let’s join hands with him in the collective mission to rescue our dear State from the greedy predator in this hour of our greatest need. This is a call to duty for all patriotic Ekiti sons and daughters.

    “My supporters, associates, PAAM and I have finally resolved to join APC with effect from today 29th May in the celebration of democracy day that some of us fought gallantly to achieve from the military.”

  • Treat my co-contestants with respect, Fayemi urges supporters

    Minister of Mines and Steel Development and winner of the Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has cautioned his supporters against harbouring any ill feelings towards his co-contestants and their supporters, saying that they are all leaders who should be accorded great respect in view of their sterling qualities and contributions to the party.

    Fayemi stated this while addressing his supporters at the headquarters of his campaign office, shortly after he emerged as the APC standard bearer for the July 14 governorship election.

    The APC candidate noted that the activities of all the aspirants in the past few months had further strengthened the party, adding that any of the aspirants would have made a better governor than any can-didate the PDP could present.

    He urged his supporters to bury any differences they might have against anybody, stressing that henceforth the party would work together as one big family in the onerous task of dislodging the PDP-led administration in the state.

    He said: “If you really want us to succeed in in the quest to form the next government in the state, I urge you all not to carry over pre-primary hostilities in your relationship with my co-contestants and their supporters.

    “We are one big family. We cannot all win in an election. But one thing I know is that all the contestants are eminent Ekiti sons and daughters who are qualified to govern  the state better than the present occupier of the office.

    “Therefore as we go into the election, we must see ourselves as members of the same family who deserve mutual respect. No more social media and verbal attacks henceforth. Our only enemy is the PDP.

    “Note that the opposition tried all the tricks in the book to cause maximum damage to our inter-personal relationships, but they failed to achieve their aim, as manifested in the success of the primary. I want to plead with you not to help them to achieve their aim.

    “We have a big job to do to reclaim our state and that should be your focus, so that we can succeed in the restoration of our dignity and provide good life for our people again.”

     

  • Rivers panel indicts Abe, supporters for secretariat’s destruction

    THE fact-finding committee into last Friday’s destruction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat in Rivers State have submitted its report.

    Thugs were said to have vandalised the secretariat on Forces Avenue, old Government Reservation Area (GRA), Port Harcourt.

    Senator Magnus Abe (Rivers Southeast) and his supporters were found culpable by the three-man committee.

    Committee Chairman Forgiven Amachree, a lawyer, with members: Chief Emeka Beke, Rivers’ Secretary of APC, who served as secretary, and Pastor Mason West, yesterday in Port Harcourt, submitted the report to Rivers APC Chairman Chief Davies Ikanya.

    Ikanya wept while receiving the report.

    Abe, yesterday in Port Harcourt, through his spokesperson, Parry Benson, insisted that he never mobilised people to vandalise the secretariat.

    Amachree said: “The indictment of Senator Abe and his supporters is based on the careful study of events during the occupation of the Rivers State secretariat by party members loyal to the senator and confession made by some of Senator Abe’s supporters in police custody.

    ‘’It is foolhardy to deny the fact that Senator Abe’s supporters vandalised the secretariat, as an attempt to derail internal democracy and disrupt the ward congresses of the APC, as their actions suggested that they did not want the congresses to hold.

    “Senator Abe’s statement that he shared the same view with the people that gathered at the Rivers State secretariat of APC, gave strength to the committee’s findings.

    “The threatening and instigating utterances of the Deputy Chairman of APC in Rivers State, Prince Peter Odike, and the party’s Youth leader, Dima Agiobu, while addressing Senator Abe’s supporters last Friday, prepared the ground for the unfortunate vandalisation of the state secretariat.”

    Rivers APC chairman, after receiving the report, described as unfortunate, condemnable and unacceptable, the destruction of property at the secretariat by APC members loyal to Abe.

    Ikanya noted with sadness that some members of APC in Rivers, for no justifiable reason, vandalised the secretariat in such a manner that the State working Committee (SWC) of Rivers had to operate under a canopy at the secretariat.

    He said the SWC set up the committee to ascertain the damage, suggest ways to prevent a recurrence, and to assist security agencies to know those behind the act.

    Ikanya said: “If there was no ward congress in Rivers State last Saturday, as Senator Abe and some supporters are claiming, what was Prince Peter Odike (Deputy Chairman of APC in Rivers State) doing at his ward last Saturday to warrant Senator Abe to have stated: ‘I was ashamed when I heard that the Rivers Deputy Chairman of the APC, Prince Peter Odike, who is loyal to me, was embarrassed and chased out of the congress venue in his ward’?

    “There was ward congress in Rivers State last Saturday. It is ridiculous for any member of APC in Rivers State to state otherwise. With facts available, it becomes mischievous and wicked for any party member to continue to portray APC in badlight.

    “I cannot understand how and why people, who have sacrificed so much in building the party, would resort to acts capable of derailing and sabotaging the ideals and vision of the party in Rivers State, just because of the struggle for power.

    “Politics is not a do-or-die venture, but a means through which politicians will submit themselves for service to humanity and not a means to disparage or destroy themselves and their property.”

    Ikanya warned that APC members who continued to present the party in bad light before the public, would cease to be members of APC in Rivers.

    He urged members who will participate in the local government congress on Saturday to conduct themselves peacefully to demonstrate to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that they are always orderly and law-abiding.

     

    Senator: my hands are clean

    Senator Magnus Abe (Rivers Southeast) yesterday denied destroying the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat in Rivers State.

    He added that Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi ought to ensure a level-playing field for all aspirants.

    Abe, a governorship aspirant on APC’s platform, noted that his disagreement with Amaechi, a former governor, was political.

    The former Secretary to the State Government in Amaechi’s administration, in a statement by his spokesperson, Parry Benson, stressed that the minister earlier declared that he (Amaechi) would not support his (Abe’s) governorship aspiration.

    The senator said: “I am amused by some of these allegations and stories. For the records, the disagreement between me and the minister (Amaechi) is political. He is the leader of the party, but he has said publicly, on several occasions, that he can never support me.

    “That means the country knows that he cannot pretend to be neutral or an unbiased umpire in any matter in which my interest and the interests of those interested in me are concerned.

    ‘’Yet, as the leader, it is his responsibility to provide a level-playing field for us all.”

    Abe, an ex-commissioner for Information, insisted that the people that converged on the APC’s state secretariat on Forces Avenue, old Government Reservation Area (GRA), Port Harcourt, last Friday, were not thugs, but members and supporters of the party.

    He said: “The people he (Amaechi) referred to as thugs and hoodlums were the same people that were his heroes yesterday. They were the people we used to block the Rivers State Judiciary (in Port Harcourt) when his government was threatened. They were the people that slept for many days outside the Rivers State House of Assembly to protect his government.

    “A lot of them were members of Save Rivers Movement, who risked their lives and gave their all to birth the APC in this state.

    ‘’He knows a lot of them by name, but today they are thugs and hoodlums, because he is now the oppressor.

    “We are politicians. Tomorrow, when we need voters, who will these people now branded as thugs be? People paid for forms, they had their tellers and no one was telling them what was going on. They besieged the state secretariat for explanations.

    “Rather than the leader (Amaechi) to come and address the people, they brought armed policemen to open fire on innocent party men and women. The attack led to the pandemonium at the secretariat.”

    “The people were there (at Rivers APC secretariat in Port Harcourt last Friday) from morning and there was no violence, until the policemen came and opened fire on APC members who were totally peaceful. Who authorised the shooting and why?”

     

     

     

  • Abe, supporters lose out as Abuja panel collates results

    SENATOR Magnus Abe (Rivers Southeast), Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) Deputy Chairman Chief Peter Odike and their supporters yesterday lost out of the state’s ward congress.

    Chairman of Ward and Local Government Congresses Committee for Rivers State Joseph Dogo, who came from the APC  National Secretariat in Abuja, along with members of his team, confirmed that the congresses took place on Saturday in the state’s 319 wards.

    Dogo spoke last night in an interview with reporters at the state’s APC secretariat on Forces Avenue, Old Government Reservation Area (GRA), Port Harcourt, after collating the results.

    Abe, who is also a governorship aspirant on the platform of APC for the 2019 election, on Saturday evening in Port Harcourt, in an online statement by his spokesperson, Parry Benson, however, claimed that there was no ward congress of the APC in the 23 councils of Rivers State.

    The former Secretary to the Rivers State Government stated that there was no stakeholders’ meeting before the scheduled ward congress, as promised by the leadership of APC in Rivers.

    The senator alleged that the party leadership went against the guidelines of the ward congress by allowing contestants to pick forms on the day of the ward congress.

    Abe, Odike, and their teeming supporters across the councils, on Friday, celebrated the motion on notice in a suit filed by Felix Mboi, an ally of Abe, to stop Saturday’s ward congress.

    The APC; its National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; Rivers APC Chairman Chief Davies Ikanya; and the Secretary, Chief Emeka Beke, are defendants.

    Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi, who is the leader of APC in Rivers and the Southsouth zone, and the deputy leader, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, who was the 2015 governorship candidate of the APC, however, declared in separate interviews in Port Harcourt that they were not aware of any court order or injunction retraining Rivers APC from conducting Saturday’s ward congress.

    Dogo, who was accompanied by members of his team from Abuja, Ikanya and some members of the State Working Committee (SWC), addressed reporters under a canopy within APC’s state secretariat, since thugs decided on Friday to vandalise the secretariat, destroying valuable property.

    Chairman of the congresses committee said: “So far, we have received results from the 23 LGAs in Rivers State, with total combined wards of 319. With the receipt of these results now completed, the task now is on the committee members to go through the processing of the results. So that we can hand over this report to the appeal committee, which will start sitting by tomorrow (today). The appeal committee will look into any appeal coming out of the exercise that was conducted.

    “There was election (ward congress in Rivers State). I do not know whether there is a contradiction between an allegation (by Abe and his supporters) and a fact. If there is an allegation and there is a fact, I do not know how contradictory it is. From the report that was documented, including the one from the Distinguished Senator’s (Abe’s) ward (in Bera-Ogoni in Gokana LGA), we will make available to the press, documented evidence that even in his (Abe’s) ward, there was election.

    “So, the issue of a contradiction does not even arise, because you cannot be talking about contradiction, when there is an allegation and a fact. He (Abe) has to prove that there was no election in Rivers State on Saturday. He who alleges must prove.”

    Dogo stated that he and members of the committee put in their best in the discharge of their duties, without taking sides, as people of integrity.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Rivers: Amaechi, Peterside floor Abe, Odike, supporters

    The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, yesterday floored the lawmaker representing Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe; the Deputy Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Chief Peter Odike; and their supporters.

    Odike, Abe and their teeming supporters across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State, on Friday, celebrated the motion on notice, in a suit filed by Felix Mboi, an ally of Abe, to stop yesterday’s ward congress of the APC in Rivers, with APC; the National Chairman of the ruling party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; Rivers Chairman of the APC, Chief Davies Ikanya; and the state Secretary of the party, Chief Emeka Beke, as defendants.

    Amaechi, who is the leader of APC in Rivers and the Southsouth zone, and Peterside, the deputy leader of the party in the state, who was the 2015 governorship candidate of the APC, however declared in separate interviews in Port Harcourt that they were not aware of any court order or injunction retraining Rivers APC from conducting yesterday’s ward congress.

    Our reporter who monitored the ward congress in Port Harcourt and some parts of Rivers confirmed that the election (ward congress), using Option A-4, took place peacefully and orderly across the 319 wards in the state, with impressive turnout of members.

    Abe, yesterday evening in Port Harcourt, in an online statement by his Spokesperson, Parry Benson, however, claimed that there was no ward congress of the APC in the 23 LGAs of Rivers State yesterday.

    He also stated that there was no stakeholders’ meeting before the scheduled ward congress, as promised by the leadership of APC in Rivers.

  • Adeyeye alleges supporters attacked

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has accused the loyalists of the Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, of unleashing terror on his (Adeyeye’s) supporters in Ikere-Ekiti.

    Adeyeye, former Minister of State for Works, alleged that suspected thugs loyal to Olusola, led by a legislator, launched attacks on his supporters after last Saturday’s ward congress to elect delegates to vote at the primary.

    He also alleged that his supporters in the town are being coerced to swear to an oath to support Olusola, which he described as “a flagrant violation of their fundamental human rights of association”.

    Adeyeye identified his supporters who were allegedly attacked on Sunday to include the Ikere Local Government Deputy Chairman, Sunday Olorunfemi; and the Ikere PDP Treasurer, Tunde Ajewole.

    Former Ikere Local Government Chairman, Mr. Banji Aluko, and Gbenga Ayeni, were some of the loyalists of Adeyeye also allegedly attacked during the ward congress.

    In a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM), Chief Niyi Ojo, called on the Police and Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate the alleged attacks and bring the perpetrators to book.

    Ojo said: “If truly Prof Olusola is popular at his hometown, why resorting to beating people and forcing them to swear to an oath to support his ambition in Ikere.

    “This is a manifest signs of rejection at home and flagrant violation of the fundamental rights of association of these people.”

    But the Director General of Kolapo Olusola Campaign Organisation (KOCO), Chief Bisi Kolawole, denied the allegation that Adeyeye’s supporters were compelled to swear to an oath to switch allegiance to the deputy governor.

    Rather, Kolawole alleged that people suspected to be Adeyeye’s supporters attacked the Commissioner for Local Government, Mr. Ayo Alabi, with masqueraders in Ise-Ekiti (Adeyeye’s hometown), during the congress.

    He said the attack by Adeyeye’s loyalists in his hometown disenfranchised many party members who wanted to vote.

    Kolawole said: “The issue of putting some people under oath to support the deputy governor is not true. Was the oath done with the Bible or traditional means? We challenge them to tell the world.

    “As politicians, we know those working for Adeyeye in Ikere and I want to say that those suffering such fate are double dealers who collect money from Olusola, Adeyeye and Olujimi.

    “Adeyeye should not have taken those raising the allegations serious, if you are for Adeyeye, why do you go to Olusola’s meeting? You came as a spy, why do you double deal?”