By Baron Ike
The leadership of the major opposition political party in Nigeria, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said democracy in Nigeria was under attack in view of the coming governorship election in Ekiti state on Saturday, July 14.
The PDP National Working Committee (NWC) said at a media conference in Abuja on Wednesday that the attack on Governor Ayode Fayose of Ekiti State by security operatives was an indication that the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) was determined to subvert the will of Ekiti people in the coming election.
The PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus described the seige on Ekiti Government House and tear-gassing of the governor as nothing other than attack on the good people of Ekiti, a recipe for violence and attack on democracy.
In a statement from the office of the PDP national publicity secretary, KOla Ologbodiyan after the media briefing, the PDP NWC said what played out in Ekiti Government House was a calculated plan to bring to pass the boast by the APC leadership to crush the opposition by all means.
The statement reads:
Gentlemen of the press, our democracy has finally come under heavy
attack. You will recall that the PDP had earlier alerted that President
Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) are
on self-succession cruise to turn our nation into a fascist state.
Recently, the APC factional National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole,
boasted that they were going to crush the opposition. Today, the siege
has began.
The situation in Ekiti State has reinforced the signpost of a manifest
desire by the APC and its leaders to subdue the resilient spirit of
Nigerians and set up a totalitarian regime in our country.
This morning, in its desperation to forcefully take over Ekiti State,
the APC-led Federal Government deployed armed police personnel led by
one Compol Mopol Echel Echel, who blocked the Ekiti State Government
House, attacked and placed the democratically elected governor of Ekiti
State, Governor Ayodele Fayose, under house arrest. At the moment, no
one goes in or out of the government house.
The invading police squad sacked the official security at the Government
House, fired sporadically into the premises during which Governor Fayose
was beaten up by Policemen and brought down by volleys of teargas while
several others were injured.
This, we have been informed, is part of the ‘order from above’, in line
with the earlier boast by the Buhari-led APC, to “cage” Governor Fayose
ahead of the July 14, 2018 Ekiti governorship election, so as to grant
their agents a field day to rig the election.
In fact, we have been made aware that the invasion was a plot to
assassinate Governor Fayose and blame it on accidental discharge by one
of the policemen.
The PDP marks this siege on an elected governor and a government house
as a recipe for violence; a complete attack on our democratic order and
direct assault on the corporate existence of Ekiti and her people as a
federating part of our nation.
We know that this is part of the desperate effort by the APC-led Federal
Government to intimidate, subjugate, frighten and overawe the people and
unleash a rigging mechanism for the election.
Information available to the PDP reveals that part of the rigging design
includes the deploying of an APC state governor in each of the local
government areas across the state to coordinate the plot.
We also know that the APC rally on Tuesday, which was boycotted by the
people of Ekiti State, was a gimmick to import thugs from neigbouring
states. Our supporters, who have been placed at red alert have been
monitoring all strange faces already milling around in various local
government areas in the state.
Also our intelligence reveals that the 30,000 policemen as well as some
compromised military personnel deployed to Ekiti state are being
positioned to embark on mass arrest and harassment of Ekiti citizens
with the view to frightening them and preventing them from participating
in the election.
Furthermore, some heavily armed DSS personnel are being deployed to work
with some compromised officials of the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) to smuggle in preloaded card reader machines and
result sheets, to be exchanged in advance, which they will attempt to
deliver to APC agents.
The PDP is fully aware of the actors in this heinous plot including some
directors in INEC, particularly in its Information Communication
Technology (ICT) Department, who have been holding clandestine meetings
with APC leaders.
We are also not unaware that the stage is being set for the APC to use
INEC to announce a pre-determined result in Ekiti State governorship
election.
The PDP however states, in very clear and unequivocal terms, that all
these machinations will end in vain as nobody, no matter the evil device
used, be it harassment, threats, arrests or even murder, can subjugate
the people of Ekiti State and forcefully take over their leadership in
this election without their consent.
Let the world know that the people of Ekiti State cannot be cowed or
frightened and that they are not ready or willing to allow anybody to
subvert their determined will to elect a leader of their choice.
We want all to know that Ekiti people are fully determined to take their
destiny in their hands on July 14, 2018 and no bullet or oppressor’s
whip can stop them. They are fully ready now, more than ever before, to
face all threats and harassment and to resist any attempt to forcefully
take over their state.
We therefore warn all thugs imported from neigbouring states to note
that they are in Ekiti at their own peril. Ekiti people and residents
know themselves and will never allow any stranger to participate in the
electoral process. Any attempt by anybody to test the will of the people
might be faced with dire consequences.
Furthermore, our ‘eyes’ have been stationed in every polling unit, every
collation center as well as every exit and entry point across the state
and those seeking to rig the election must be sure they will be stopped
in their trail with every available instrument in a democracy.
It is a settled fact that Ekiti State is a well-known stronghold of the
PDP and we will not, in anyway, accept anything short of free, fair and
credible election, abundantly reflecting the will of the people.
Anything to the contrary might attract very terrible consequences.
Awfully, the Ekiti action is a wild attempt by the incompetent President
Muhammed Buhari and his dysfunctional APC to kidnap our democracy.
Finally, we invite the entire world to note how the APC and INEC are
stoking crisis and violence in Ekiti State and to hold them responsible
should any harm befall Governor Fayose and should there be any breakdown
of law and order before, during and after the poll.
We believe in the rule of law; we believe in one man, one vote.
We must stop this siege against our democracy!