Kamarudeen Ogundele, Ado Ekiti
The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has accused the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State of plotting to disrupt the governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party holding on Tuesday.
The governor said the opposition party in the state hatched the plot to create an impression that violence was common among political parties in the state.
Fayose said this in a statement he issued on the aborted governorship primary of the APC held on Saturday.
He said, “Another worrisome development is the information at my disposal that the APC is plotting to sponsor thugs to disrupt the PDP primary scheduled for Tuesday, May 8, 2018, so as to create the impression that violence is common to all political parties.
“I therefore call on security agencies to act decisively to nip this sinister plan in the bud. The police should not shy away from their responsibilities. Ekiti was adjudged by the police as the most peaceful state in Nigeria, it must remain so.
“In the last three years, our state has been peaceful and never witnessed any sponsored political violence or killing until this APC’s desperation set in.
“I also call on Nigerians, as well as the international community to focus their attention on Ekiti State from now on. Ekiti people must be allowed to choose their next governor under a free and fair atmosphere.”
Reacting, the state Chairman of the APC, Jide Awe, described the allegation raised by Fayose as laughable.
He said, “It is laughable. He should not look for any alibi. If there will be disruption of the primary, it will be his own making. We will not have anything to do with the PDP and he should not meddle in our own affairs too.”
Fayose, while describing the aborted primary of the APC as a shame, said it was an indication of what to expect during the July 14 governorship election.
He said, “I am alarmed by the violent disruption of the All Progressives Congress governorship primary in Ekiti State yesterday (Saturday), most importantly its implications for the July 14 election.
“What was witnessed yesterday (Saturday) was a show of shame. It is a sad day for democracy in Nigeria, especially from a party in government that prides itself as the progressive.
“It is a clear indication that the APC will fail woefully in the July 14 governorship election because apart from its rejection by Ekiti people, the party has become a house divided against itself, its centre can never hold.
“We thought that we had gone beyond the era of ballot box stuffing and snatching as well as violence and killings during elections until yesterday’s show of shame.
“As usual, nobody has been arrested and I am sure that no one will be brought to justice. This development should be of great concern to all well-meaning Nigerians as we approach the Ekiti and Osun states’ elections as well as the 2019 elections.”
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