….We Did Not Invade Government House ….Police

….Fayose is Merely Acting Drama….APC  

Strident condemnation has trailed yesterday’s high handed treatment meted to Ekiti State Governor, Peter Ayodele Fayose and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the Police and other security officials deployed to the state, ahead of the governorship election slated for Saturday, seen as a straight fight between former governor and candidate of the All Progressive Party (APC), Dr Kayode Fayemi and PDP candidate, Prof Olusola Eleka.

Fayose who along with PDP supporters who had planned a rally at the popular Fajuyi Park, got repelled in a hail of bullets and tear gas canisters, leaving tears and blood with many injured in the ensuing pandemonium. Fayose who later wore a neck brace was treated at the state house clinic for injuries sustained during the Police siege..

But the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG Operations), Mr Habilla Joshak says he’s neither aware of any attack on Fayose or PDP members saying that his men were only trying to “maintain law and order”.

“We are not here to usurp the authority of the Governor but we are not going to allow any rally that can trigger violence in the state. You can see that the state is tensed up”. “As law enforcement agents, we must be proactive and take actions that can prevent crisis rather than trying to quell it after it might have broken out”, he said.

According to him, the Government House has not been blocked contrary to the claims by Gov Fayose. The DIG said his men only blocked the road from Fajuyi area of the state secretariat, on the Ado-Ekiti-Ilesa Road, to stop miscreants.

While berating the Police for this sordid action of brutalising PDP supporters, Afenifere, the Pan Yoruba Socio-Cultural Movement, says this is a bad omen for the governorship election slated for Saturday.

“Our fears over deployment of 30,000 police personnel for election in one state while the government cannot mobilise a quarter of that number to secure the lives of Nigerians under savage attacks in different parts of the country are being confirmed”.We would not mind though if the men were in the state to secure a peaceful environment for Saturday”, the organisation says in a statement by Mr Yinka Odumakin, its publicity secretary..

“Alas reports from the media have indicated that the violence in Ekiti is being precipitated by the police who were said to have sealed off the Government House and shooting tear gas at citizens who have broken no laws. There has also been a sacrilegious allegation that the governor of the state was assaulted and tear gassed. This would be an outrageous and barbaric assault that violates all decency and civilised conducts if true”.

“Afenifere calls on the President to rise to the duty of office as the Leader of the country to stop the violence and bring perpetrators of this dastardly act to book. It speaks no well of him that security forces are turning the state to a battleground 24 hours after he campaigned in the state”.

The Nigeria Intervention Movement, NIM led by the duo of Dr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN and Dr Abdulljalil Tafawa Balewa has also berated in strongest terms what it perceives as “the thuggish violation of the Nigerian Constitution” by the Police for manhandling Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State while trying to prevent a peaceful rally organized by the Governor

In a statement signed by by Mallam Naseer Kura, National Publicity Secretary, NIM said that “such act of thuggery by an agent of the State like the Police is a contemptuous violation of the sacred laws of Nigeria, especially section 108 of the 1999 Constitution which up till this moment confers immunity on every sitting Governor in Nigeria and therefore should be vehemently condemned, sanctioned by the Federal Government and resisted by the Nigerian people to prevent a dangerous conspiracy by state agents against Nigerian constitutional democracy as well as the human rights and freedom of the People”.

“We are compelled by this grievous act of the police against Nigerian Constitution and the Ekiti people to direct all our coordinators and allies in Ekiti State to immediately set up a vigilante resistance team against any further thuggish and uncivilized acts of the police and other security agencies in the state, especially during this crucial period of elections in order to ensure that the popular will of Ekiti people prevails”, it said.

Human Rights Activist, Chief Mike Ezekhome who was equally miffed by the incident said, “By the provisions of sections 39 and 40, of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as altered, the people of Ekiti state have the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association. The PDP in Ekiti State and its teeming supporters needed no permit from the Police before holding their peaceful rally, just like the APC led by President Muhammadu Bahuri held its on Tuesday”..

“The Governor of  Ekiti State is the Chief Security Officer of the state and consequently, barricading the government house and meting out physical assault, inhuman and degrading treatment on the person of the governor, constitute a dangerous reminder of the gory hey days of ruthless military dictatorships in the sad history of Nigeria”.

“The beastly conduct of the Police and the obviously acquiescing role of the federal government today, is, to say the least, most despotic, autocratic, barbaric and treasonable. What happened today was a clear attempt to overthrow a sitting governor in Nigeria, and if possible, assassinate him”, Ezekhome, also a senior advocate of Nigeria said.

Narrating his ordeal amidst sobs, Fayose said, “They (the police) are beating anybody who has any sign of PDP on them. They are not picking our calls; they’ve made up their minds to do this evil”. “I am in pain, I am in severe pain. I can’t turn this neck anymore. If anything happens to me, the Inspector-General of Police should be held accountable,” the governor told reporters while weeping at the rally.

Governor Fayose attempted to lead the supporters back to the park but the move was thwarted by security operatives who reportedly fired gunshots into the air again.

Addressing party supporters there, the governor, who showed up wearing a neck brace, called on the international community to intervene and protect the people.

“I am in pain but I prefer to bear these pains because of you. I plead with the international community, Nigeria is in trouble, Ekiti is in trouble,” he said.

“Please arise and stand for justice. They have arrested so many teachers, they have arrested so many Okada (motorcycle) riders. They have arrested so many PDP members.”

But Dayo Adeyeye, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, has dismissed Fayose’s allegations as mere theatrics, advising voters to ignore, what he described as the “latest antics of Governor Ayodele Fayose, who claimed that he was attacked by some armed security agents at the Government House on Wednesday”.

Adeyeye, who spoke through the Director of Press of his campaign organization, PAAM, Chief Niyi Ojo, in Ado Ekiti , said “Fayose has always been a clownish dramatist and his latest stunt was aimed at creating a diversion for the people of the state, while covering up his nefarious activities, which are aimed at rigging Saturday’s governorship election”.

The former Minister of State, Works who also congratulated the people of the state for their impressive turnout on Tuesday for the party’s mega rally and the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari, said “Fayose has always been a dramatist. He has always been acting drama. Ekiti people should ignore him and remain resolute in their determination to throw him out of office and out of Ekiti State completely on July 14”.

Meanwhile, DIG Operations, Mr.Joshak, has said the security details of important personalities in Ekiti would be withdrawn on Saturday, adding that no party would be allowed to hold any political rally that is not approved by the Police.

Addressing journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday, Joshak said he would work with one Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mr. H.H. Karma; and three other Commissioners of Police — Mr Ali Janga, Mr J.B. Kokumo and Mr G.B. Umar — who would man each of the senatorial districts in the state.

Joshak said they have contacted security details of Governor Fayose and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and other top government officials to report at 6 am at the Police headquarters in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday.

“We won’t allow anybody to go to the polling booth with armed men, because it will be a breach of the Electoral Act. We have contacted them and they have to be here before election commences. This election must not be compromised. They will be documented and whoever defies this will be sanctioned because they have been contacted,” he warned.