ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA,
ADO-EKITI
An attempt by Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose to hold a rally against
police advice sparked heavy shooting in Fajuyi area of Ado-Ekiti, the
state capital.
It was learnt that Fayose was teargassed by riot policemen as he was
attending to complaints from People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members
that they had been denied access to the Fajuyi Pavilion, venue of the
proposed rally.
An eyewitness revealed that one of the canisters fired from outside
the Government House landed very close to Fayose. The governor inhaled
the teargas and went down.
The source said Fayose was revived by his security aides and party
figures and was taken to the Government House Clinic.
The governor later emerged from the clinic appearing with neck brace
to address the crowd that gathered at the Government House grounds.
Fayose alleged that he was slapped and kicked by a police officer He
also alleged that an instruction has been given to kill him.
Deputy Governor and the PDP candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, also
alleged that he was beaten by policemen during the melee.
He called on the international community, European Union (EU) to save
democracy in Nigeria which he said is under siege.
Fayose said: “My people, the Lord will fight this battle; the MOPOL of
Nigeria Police, IGP and AIG ordered that the governor should be
killed.
“I was slapped by a policeman, I was kicked and I was shot at. Be of
great courage, be not dismayed, this battle will be won.
“This is an army of occupation, this is not the democracy we fought
for. My people, don’t be afraid, I pray they will not cause the 1983
problem in Ekiti State.
“Ekiti is under siege, how can I be governor of Ekiti State and they
treated me like this? My people, stand and keep standing. I will go
back to the hospital and remain there, I want you to stand by Eleka
(Olusola).
“I plead with the international community, Nigeria is in trouble,
please arise and stand for justice. They have arrested so many
teachers, okada riders and PDP members.
“Come and save PDP, we are in majority, we are a party to beat, come
and safe us. They said they are under instruction to kill me and PDP
candidate.”
Fayose, later got emotional and wept while being interviewed by journalists.
He said: “I am in severe pain, I am in severe pain, should anything
evil happen to me, the Inspector General of Police should be held
responsible.”
Olusola said: “They shot sporadically to the air and one of them beat
me. I told him that I am the deputy governor, he said deputy governor
my foot.
“We have not moved out to the streets at all, we were walking to our
campaign office. The COMPOL (Commissioner of Police) MOPOL (Mobile
Police), said to my hearing that it was an instruction from the
Presidency.
“They manhandled my governor and slapped him with the butt of the gun
in the back. It was an attempt to assassinate the governor but they
will never succeed.
“Who then is safe in Nigeria? We should tell Buhari that enough is
enough; the Presidency should be warned that enough is enough.
“God is with us, the army that is with us is greater than the army
that is with them. God is with us.”
Ekiti PDP Chairman, Chief Gboyega Oguntuase, accused the Inspector
General of having plan to rig the election for the APC.
Oguntuase said: “When the IGP was CP in Kano State, democracy was
bastardized, votes in Kano were rigged.
“This election shall hold and won by people who are behind PDP.
Presently, the police are laying siege to the Government House.”
Senate Deputy Minority Whip, Mrs. Biodun Olujimi, said PDP members
still have the right to hold rallies because the time frame allowed by
the Electoral Law had not lapsed.
She said: “They must be told that enough is enough; our people have
been arrested, they are being picked up. If you are popular, you don’t
need to be doing all these.
“We will go to the poll on Saturday and elect a member of the PDP as
the next governor.”
Men of the Nigerian Army and the Police had taken over the Fajuyi
Pavilion, which serves as Olusola’s campaign office and sealed off the
arena that was scheduled to hold the rally.
They packed their vehicles inside the arena and kept guard over the
facility. An Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) was stationed there.
The security forces who stopped journalists from taking pictures of
the place said they were under instruction not to allow any rally
because of the tense situation in the state.
PDP members who arrived the place in their white apparel as instructed
by the governor met the stern-looking security men who asked them to
go back.
The Government House gate was sealed off while the Secretariat Road
was blocked and vehicular traffic was prevented.
The policemen fired several canisters of teargas to disperse the PDP
members who had arrived Ado-Ekiti from all parts of the state.
The party faithful ran helter-skelter as teargas fumes billowed into
the sky. The frightened party men and women dispersed in different
directions.
While some of them ran inside the High Court complex, others headed
for the old Governor’s Office area and entered the Government House
from the rear.
A close aide to Fayose called Abiola was arrested at Fajuyi area and
he is now being detained at the Criminal Investigation Department
(CID) Section at the police headquarters in Ado Ekiti.
Reporters sighted Abiola as he was being dragged by the police to the
CID section.
attending to complaints from People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members
that they had been denied access to the Fajuyi Pavilion, venue of the
proposed rally.
the Government House landed very close to Fayose. The governor inhaled
the teargas and went down.
figures and was taken to the Government House Clinic.
to address the crowd that gathered at the Government House grounds.
also alleged that an instruction has been given to kill him.
alleged that he was beaten by policemen during the melee.
democracy in Nigeria which he said is under siege.
Nigeria Police, IGP and AIG ordered that the governor should be
killed.
great courage, be not dismayed, this battle will be won.
for. My people, don’t be afraid, I pray they will not cause the 1983
problem in Ekiti State.
treated me like this? My people, stand and keep standing. I will go
back to the hospital and remain there, I want you to stand by Eleka
(Olusola).
please arise and stand for justice. They have arrested so many
teachers, okada riders and PDP members.
and safe us. They said they are under instruction to kill me and PDP
candidate.”
evil happen to me, the Inspector General of Police should be held
responsible.”
me. I told him that I am the deputy governor, he said deputy governor
my foot.
campaign office. The COMPOL (Commissioner of Police) MOPOL (Mobile
Police), said to my hearing that it was an instruction from the
Presidency.
in the back. It was an attempt to assassinate the governor but they
will never succeed.
enough; the Presidency should be warned that enough is enough.
that is with them. God is with us.”
General of having plan to rig the election for the APC.
bastardized, votes in Kano were rigged.
Presently, the police are laying siege to the Government House.”
still have the right to hold rallies because the time frame allowed by
the Electoral Law had not lapsed.
been arrested, they are being picked up. If you are popular, you don’t
need to be doing all these.
the next governor.”
Pavilion, which serves as Olusola’s campaign office and sealed off the
arena that was scheduled to hold the rally.
facility. An Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) was stationed there.
the place said they were under instruction not to allow any rally
because of the tense situation in the state.
by the governor met the stern-looking security men who asked them to
go back.
was blocked and vehicular traffic was prevented.
members who had arrived Ado-Ekiti from all parts of the state.
the sky. The frightened party men and women dispersed in different
directions.
for the old Governor’s Office area and entered the Government House
from the rear.
he is now being detained at the Criminal Investigation Department
(CID) Section at the police headquarters in Ado Ekiti.
