Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the ‘attack’ by the police on Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State yesterday, has brought democracy under attack in Nigeria.
Its Presidential aspirant, Atiku Abubakar, says Ekiti violence is brigandage that must be stopped.
ABDULRAHMAN ZAKARIYAU brings highlights.
The PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, in swift reaction to the alleged teargas on Governor Ayo Fayose at the entrance to Government House Ekiti fulfils comments by the APC factional national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, boasted that they were going to crush the opposition.
‘Today, the siege has began’.
“The situation in Ekiti State has reinforced the signpost of a manifest desire by the APC and its leaders to subdue the resilient spirit of Nigerians and set up a totalitarian regime in our country.
“This morning, in its desperation to forcefully take over Ekiti State, the APCled Federal Government deployed armed police personnel led by one Compol Mopol Echel Echel, who blocked the Ekiti State Government House, attacked and placed the democratically elected governor of Ekiti State, Governor Ayodele Fayose, under house arrest.
At the moment, no one goes in or out of the government house.
“The invading police squad sacked the official security at the Government House, fired sporadically into the premises during which Governor Fayose was beaten up by Policemen and brought down by volleys of teargas while several others were injured, he said.
The party spokesperson said they have been informed that its part of ‘order from above’, “in line with the earlier boast by the Buhari-led APC, to “cage” Governor Fayose ahead of the July 14, 2018 Ekiti governorship election, so as to grant their agents a field day to rig the election.
“In fact, we have been made aware that the invasion was a plot to assassinate Governor Fayose and blame it on accidental discharge by one of the policemen.
Ologbondiyan discribe alleged siege on an elected governor and a government house as a recipe for violence; a complete attack on our democratic order and direct assault on the corporate existence of Ekiti and her people as a federating part of our nation.
“We know that this is part of the desperate effort by the APC-led Federal Government to intimidate, subjugate, frighten and overawe the people and unleash a rigging mechanism for the election.
“Information available to the PDP reveals that part of the rigging design includes the deploying of an APC state governor in each of the local government areas across the state to coordinate the plot.
“Our intelligence reveals that the 30,000 policemen as well as some compromised military personnel deployed to Ekiti state are being positioned to embark on mass arrest and harassment of Ekiti citizens with the view to frightening them and preventing them from participating in the election.
“Furthermore, some heavily armed DSS personnel are being deployed to work with some compromised officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to smuggle in preloaded card reader machines and result sheets, to be exchanged in advance, which they will attempt to deliver to APC agents.
“The people of Ekiti State cannot be cowed or frightened and that they are not ready or willing to allow anybody to subvert their determined will to elect a leader of their choice.
“We therefore warn all thugs imported from neighbouring states to note that they are in Ekiti at their own peril.
Ekiti people and residents know themselves and will never allow any stranger to participate in the electoral process.
Any attempt by anybody to test the will of the people might be faced with dire consequences, he said.
“Our ‘eyes’ have been stationed in every polling unit, every collation center as well as every exit and entry point across the state and those seeking to rig the election must be sure they will be stopped in their trail with every available instrument in a democracy.
He charged the entire world “to note how the APC and INEC are stoking crisis and violence in Ekiti State and to hold them responsible should any harm befall Governor Fayose and should there be any breakdown of law and order before, during and after the poll.\
