The Ward Congresses of the Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party held across the 177 Wards on Saturday, March 7, was marred by violence, shooting of electoral officials in a Hotel where we are computing the results.
The former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose and some of his loyalists were on Sunday morning attacked by a group of outgoing state Chairman, Oguntuase and Senator Olujimi loyalists in Ado-Ekiti.
Pictures that went viral online showed how group cars were destroyed.
Newsflash247 gathered that the former governor was held hostage for many hours by the Senator Olujimi group in a Hotel at Adehun area of Ado-Ekiti where he was said to be computed results, while his personal vehicles and that of his loyalists, including Chief Bisi Kolawole, the Chairmanship candidate of the party, Sade Akinrinmola, former Gbonyin Council Chairlady and Lere Olayinka, the spokesman of Ayo Fayose were bashed.
The tyres of the vehicles were also deflated with knife and were about to be set ablaze before the intervention of the commissioner of police Mr. Amba Asuquo and his officers who persuaded the protesters to embrace peace, Newsflash247 reports.
However, the Olujimi group alleged that the process of the election was hijacked by Fayose in connivance with the electoral officers from Abuja and manipulated in favor of his loyalists.
The Olujimi group in their large number kept vigil at the hotel and chanted various abusive songs such as “Fayose Ole” meaning Fayose Is a thief, all through the night of Saturday.
The former governor and his people were prevented from going out all through the night as the Olujimi group locked up the main entrances of the hotel and shut down its operations.
Speaking with newsmen some of the people said “we got information that Fayose was already writing result of the ward congress held yesterday from his hotel room and on getting here we discovered that it was true, because we saw his car and vehicles of his loyalists which we are all familiar with.
The collation center was supposed to be Midas Hotel, but we waited all through and did not see the electoral officers only for us to be notified that Fayose and the Abuja delegates are in another Hotel computing figures from their imaginations.
“Fayose is not popular again; if he is sure of himself why not allow a free and transparent election? Why does he need to hijack electoral officers to a Hotel just to write figures in favor of his candidates?
“All this act of gangsterism has to stop; we won’t take anything short of a credible election.
Also speaking the outgoing organizing secretary of PDP Ayo Oladimeji said it was quite unfortunate that Fayose is trying to impose his anointed candidate at all cost through the back door but said the party was ready for battle this time.
Addressing the protesters, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Amba Asuquo urged them to be calm noting that their rights would be protected.
In his reaction, Mr. Lere Olayinka, the spokesperson for the former governor of the state, Mr. Ayodele Fayose said the electoral officers from Abuja were the only one certified to conduct election, wondering why the people could conduct election on their own without waiting for the national representative who was assigned to monitor the process.
Mr. Olayinka said that the election earlier conducted before the arrival of the national delegates was unconstitutional.
