The All Progressive Congress (APC) said it is not true that the police were drafted to Ekiti State for Saturday’s governorship election to harass the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) supporters.
The APC said in a statement signed by Bolaji Abdullahi, the spokesman that the presence of the police there is to keep the peace for credible contest.
The APC wrote: “We reject the claim by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that policemen were drafted to Ekiti State to harass PDP supporters in Saturday’s governorship election in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
“As usual with elections, extra security deployment is routine to keep the peace for credible and transparent elections.
“With PDP’s claim in its press statement, it is obvious that its leadership does not have the facts of the actual events in Ekiti State or it is deliberately attempting to divert public attention from the comical performance put up by Governor Ayodele Fayose on Wednesday, which was clearly contrived to give the impression to the public that he was being persecuted.
“Somehow, Fayose has contrived to make this election about himself. But it is not. The contest is between Dr. Fayemi and the Professor that has continued to hide behind Fayose’s fingers.
“What is clear to every voter in Ekiti is that to vote for this Professor is to hand Fayose a third term. Given their horrid experience with him, they have wisely rejected them both.
“The PDP in Ekiti have read the handwriting on the wall. They know they have lost the election. They therefore have to save their face with these wild allegations.
“The story of how Fayose used the security agencies to manipulate the last election is still fresh in the memory of the people. Unfortunately for him, he has no such opportunity this time. Winning a free and fair election is a strange territory to him and that’s why he is looking stranded.
“It is therefore mischievous of PDP to continue to claim that the Police assaulted Fayose on Wednesday after Fayose himself has apologised to the Police authorities for lying against their officers.
“The ultimate decision about who governs Ekiti lies with the people of that State, which they will make on the principle of one man one vote.”