Ekiti Election: How stakeholders’ meeting ended abruptly without resolution

Agency ReporterJuly 9, 2018

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The convergence of critical stakeholders in the July 14th election in Ekiti State, facilitated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ended abruptly, as all key players left in annoyance without any concrete resolution.

INEC had organised the meeting to meet with candidates and party stalwarts to reel out the readiness of the commission and heads of security agencies led by the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris, for the election.

The meeting has started on a peaceful note with the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti state, Abdulganiyu Raji stating the readiness of the commission for the conduct of Saturday election. The National Commissioner in charge of Ondo, Ekiti and Osun states, Solomon Soyebi also announced the extension of the collection of permanent voter cards while the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris read the riot act.

No sooner had the microphone handed over to a representative of one of the leading parties in the contest, who spoke about alleged intimidation, than acrimony broke out amongst party supporters thereby making the environment unexpectedly charged.

All efforts to calm the crowd by the chairman of Ekiti traditional rulers led by Oloye of Oye, Oba Michael Ademolaju, however, led to more uproar at the venue.

The tensed atmosphere continued for several minutes which eventually compelled INEC officials and the security heads, alongside various candidates, to hurriedly abandon the meeting midway.