Ekiti Election: Buhari, IGP under fire over attack on Fayose, deployment of 30,000 policemen

Agency ReporterJuly 11, 2018

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Afenifere has condemned the decision of the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to deploy 30,000 police personnel for the Ekiti governorship election.

The Pan-Yoruba group also berated the Police for alleged attack on Governor Ayo Fayose.

Afenifere spokesman in a statement on Wednesday lamented that the Buhari government was allegedly heating up the polity and failing to properly address issues of insecurity.

He said; “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 polls.

“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 Govenment 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 assaaulted and teargassed.

“This would be an outrageous and barbaric assault that violates all decency and civilised conducts if true.”

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

It added: “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 it’s consequences contributed largely to the eclipse of the Second Republic .

“We ask the electoral umpire to provide a level playing field for all contestants and conduct an election that would earn it accolades .

“We also warn all politicians Involved in the polls not to do anything to jeopardise the lives of our people 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”.