Ekiti, Election: Afenifere Condemns Ekiti Violence, Wants Free And Fair Polls

BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – The Pan-Yoruba umbrella group, Afenifere on Wednesday said its fear fears over the deployment of 30,000 police personnel for election in one state while the same Federal 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.

The Pan-Yoruba group, which stated this while reacting to the activities of the Nigeria Police deployed to Ekiti State for  Saturday governorship election, said it is seriously disturbed by the news of violence coming out of Ekiti on the eve of the Governorship election in the state .

In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin said the group would not mind though if the men were in the state to secure a peaceful environment for Saturday polls.

The statement further said; “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 teargas at citizens who have broken no laws.

“There has also been a sacrilegious allegation that the governor of the state was assaulted and teargased. This would be an outrageous and barbaric assault that violates all decency and civilised conducts if true.”

Afenifere therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari to rise to the duty of office as the Leader of the country to stop the violence and bring perpetrators of the 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.

“Let it be known that the Yoruba nation expects a peaceful, free and fair elections in the state that will produce a winner freely elected by the people.

“We warn security forces to do their duty according to the law and desist from violating law abiding citizens. We remind those who have forgotten that the violation of the will of the people in that part of Yorubaland and its consequences contributed largely to the eclipse of the Second Republic.

Afenifere asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to provide a level playing field for all contestants and conduct an election that would earn it accolades.

It warned politicians involved in the polls not to do anything to jeopardise the lives of the people of Ekiti saying; “as our ancestors will inflict maximum affliction on anybody that put the life of any son or daughter of Ekiti in jeopardy for the lust for temporary power.

“Let those who have ears hear!”