CP LAMBASTS EKITI POLITICAL PARTIES, POLITICIANS OVER CONTINUED VIOLENCE •THREATENS TO IMPOUND BRAN

CP lambasts Ekiti political parties, politicians over continued violence •Threatens to impound branded vehicles without registration numbers
By Sam Nwaoko - Ado-Ekiti

The Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, Mr Felix Uyanna, has lambasted political parties in Ekiti State over what he referred to as consistent violence in the conduct of the parties’ campaigns and rallies in the build-up to the June 21 governorship election in the state.


The Commissioner of Police gave the condemnation in his opening speech at a meeting of the Inter-Agency Committee on Election Security, held at the police headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, on Wednesday.

Uyanna said it was regrettable that since the commencement of campaigns for the election, the political parties had failed to prevent violence in their campaigns, despite his warnings and appeals for peaceful campaigns.

He said “since the commencement of campaigns/rallies, it is unfortunate that our appeals and warnings have remained largely unheeded.”

Uyanna said: “incidents of politically-related criminal cases such as malicious damage of posters, billboards, banners and other valuable property, assault occasioning harm, attempted murder, wounding have not abated.”

He lamented that the crimes “cut across the three major political parties in the state,” but noted that “the only difference is in terms of frequency and depth of involvement.”

Uyanna regretted what he described as intolerance among the members of the contesting political parties, saying “the level of intolerance exhibited by all political actors towards one another is unjustifiable.”

According to him, the command had “so far recorded 25 politically-related criminal cases in which 14 have been charged to various courts of competent jurisdiction, while others are at various stages of investigation.”

He warned political parties and directors of their campaign organisations that “drivers of such party-branded vehicles may be contravened and prosecuted while such vehicles are impounded.”

He charged the political parties and other actors owed it a duty not only to preach peace but more importantly to ensure their supporters are not allowed to engage in any violence.

In his remarks on the occasion, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Alhaji Halilu Pai, said the meeting was to remind various stakeholders in the election of their responsibilities in the electoral process.

Department of State Security, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service, among others, were all represented at the meeting.

Candidates of the various political parties, including Mr Ayo Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kole Ajayi of Accord Party, Seyi Osekita of Alliance for Democracy (AD), among others, attended the meeting.

The Director-General of the Kayode Fayemi campaign organisation, Mr Bimbo Daramola, represented his principal, while leaders of the various political parties also attended the meeting.

Nwanyanwu, Mimiko assure Ekiti on Bamidele •Seek people’s support for him
By Sam Nwaoko - Ado-Ekiti

National Chairman of Labour Party (LP), Mr Dan Nwanyanwu and the Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, have vouched for the party’s candidate in the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State, Mr Opeyemi Bamidele and charged the people of the state to vote for him in the election.

Nwanyanwu and Mimiko, who were in Ado-Ekiti for the mega rally of the party, as part of preparations for the governorship election, assured the people of the state that “uncommon transformation awaits the state if Labour Party assumes government.”

Nwanyanwu said at the rally that “Bamidele took the best decision to join LP,” adding that “there is no godfather, who will bring you the lists of commissioners if he wins the election.”

According to him, “in LP, there is no imposition, there will be no capital flight when we assume leadership of the state,” saying the people “will enjoy the success of the party as is being experienced in Ondo State by the Olusegun Mimiko’s administration.”

He noted that the party will reduced the fees being paid by all students in the state to the barest minimum, as it is in Ondo State, so that the children of the masses and the poor will enjoy good education, good health facilities among the dividend of democracy.

Speaking at the rally, the Governor Mimiko urged Ekiti people to vote Bamidele as their next governor.

He described Bamidele as “a man of character, integrity and one who has a combination of uncommon virtue with experience to deliver the good of democracy.”

Fayemi assures rural dwellers of dividends of democracy
The people living in rural areas in Ekiti State are to enjoy more dividends of democracy as Ekiti State, as Governor Kayode Fayemi, on Tuesday, promised to empower more people at the grass roots to boost local economy.

The governor, who noted that most of the rural areas are far from urban life, said if rural dwellers were well-empowered, they would be self-dependent enough to cater for their needs and the needs of their families.

Fayemi spoke during his campaign tour to four communities in Gbonyin Local Government Area of the state.

Communities visited by the governor’s campaign train included Iro, Egbe, Imesi and Agbado, where he was received by residents, who promised to use their votes to return him into office.

He was accompanied by the senator representing Ekiti South, Chief Anthony Adeniyi; House of Representatives member representing Ekiti South II federal constituency, Mr Bamidele Faparusi; Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Ganiyu Owolabi; state APC chairman, Chief Olajide Awe and other party leaders.

Addressing the people of Egbe-Ekiti, Governor Fayemi said his government had provided basic amenities such as roads, quality health care, among others, in rural areas in the state to make life easier for the people in those communities.

He added that increased empowerment of the people in rural areas would be a major programme of his second term in office.

Fayemi also said APC remains the the best platform for the consolidation of the transformation being witnessed in the state.

Fayose warns against selling voter’s card •As Oore drums support for him
Ekiti State people have been warned of the consequence of releasing their voter’s card to certain people, who go about buying cards from people in order to rig the June 21 gvernorship poll.

The state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Mr Ayo Fayose, gave the warning at Igbemo in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state, during the ward-to-ward campaign tour of the council by Fayose, on Tuesday.

According to a press statement issued by Fayose’s spokesman and made available to the newsmen in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday, the PDP candidate asked: “If you sell your card for any reason and for whatever amount, you have succeessfully mortgaged the future of your children.”

Fayose said the elderly and illiterate people had been the target of these “criminals,” but advised them to call their children or people around any time the “criminals” demand for their cards.

The tour took the PDP candidate to other towns in the council such as Orun, Igede, Iyin, Iworoko, Iropora, Eyio, Esure, Are and Afao.

In another development, the Oore of Mobaland, Oba Adedapo Popoola, has said that the Ekiti obas have nothing against the PDP candidate.

Oba Popoola, who stated this at his palace in Otun Ekiti, on Monday, when Fayose visited him for royal blessing during a tour of wards in Moba Local Government, said he was compelled to clear the air over insinuations by political opponents of Fayose that the monarchs were not in support of him.

He said, “as far as Mobaland is concerned, the totality of our votes will go for Fayose. We don’t need Fayose to campaign to us because he is our son and he has been good to us.”

Group counsels stakeholders on peaceful poll
By Bola Badmus - Lagos

A socio-cultural group, the Ekiti Parapo, has enjoined all stakeholders in Ekiti State, including political parties, their candidates, followers, the parents, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria Police, among others, to ensure a free and fair governorship poll in the state.

President of the group, Chief Esan Ogunleye, said this in Lagos, while speaking with newsmen, shortly after the conclusion of the group’s meeting.

The meeting, which deliberated on the coming governorship poll in the state and the way forward, among others was attended by officers, Mr Dare Ojo, Chief Kola Akomolede, Mr Sunday Olowoyobiojo and Madam Iyabo Obasa.

According to Ogunleye, who insisted that desire of Ekiti Parapo was to have a peaceful and fair election that would guarantee one man one vote, all the stakeholders should ensure that the due diligence be followed to achieve the desired outcome.

Ogunleye appealed to the candidates to keep their supporters in check and the parents not to allow their children to be used by politicians, just he urged the INEC “to play by the rules, and not let their various employees do what is not in the books.”
CP lambasts Ekiti political parties, politicians over continued violence •Threatens to impound branded vehicles without registration numbers
By Sam Nwaoko - Ado-Ekiti

The Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, Mr Felix Uyanna, has lambasted political parties in Ekiti State over what he referred to as consistent violence in the conduct of the parties’ campaigns and rallies in the build-up to the June 21 governorship election in the state.

The Commissioner of Police gave the condemnation in his opening speech at a meeting of the Inter-Agency Committee on Election Security, held at the police headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, on Wednesday.

Uyanna said it was regrettable that since the commencement of campaigns for the election, the political parties had failed to prevent violence in their campaigns, despite his warnings and appeals for peaceful campaigns.

He said “since the commencement of campaigns/rallies, it is unfortunate that our appeals and warnings have remained largely unheeded.”

Uyanna said: “incidents of politically-related criminal cases such as malicious damage of posters, billboards, banners and other valuable property, assault occasioning harm, attempted murder, wounding have not abated.”

He lamented that the crimes “cut across the three major political parties in the state,” but noted that “the only difference is in terms of frequency and depth of involvement.”

Uyanna regretted what he described as intolerance among the members of the contesting political parties, saying “the level of intolerance exhibited by all political actors towards one another is unjustifiable.”

According to him, the command had “so far recorded 25 politically-related criminal cases in which 14 have been charged to various courts of competent jurisdiction, while others are at various stages of investigation.”

He warned political parties and directors of their campaign organisations that “drivers of such party-branded vehicles may be contravened and prosecuted while such vehicles are impounded.”

He charged the political parties and other actors owed it a duty not only to preach peace but more importantly to ensure their supporters are not allowed to engage in any violence.

In his remarks on the occasion, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Alhaji Halilu Pai, said the meeting was to remind various stakeholders in the election of their responsibilities in the electoral process.

Department of State Security, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service, among others, were all represented at the meeting.

Candidates of the various political parties, including Mr Ayo Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kole Ajayi of Accord Party, Seyi Osekita of Alliance for Democracy (AD), among others, attended the meeting.

The Director-General of the Kayode Fayemi campaign organisation, Mr Bimbo Daramola, represented his principal, while leaders of the various political parties also attended the meeting.

Nwanyanwu, Mimiko assure Ekiti on Bamidele •Seek people’s support for him
By Sam Nwaoko - Ado-Ekiti

National Chairman of Labour Party (LP), Mr Dan Nwanyanwu and the Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, have vouched for the party’s candidate in the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State, Mr Opeyemi Bamidele and charged the people of the state to vote for him in the election.

Nwanyanwu and Mimiko, who were in Ado-Ekiti for the mega rally of the party, as part of preparations for the governorship election, assured the people of the state that “uncommon transformation awaits the state if Labour Party assumes government.”

Nwanyanwu said at the rally that “Bamidele took the best decision to join LP,” adding that “there is no godfather, who will bring you the lists of commissioners if he wins the election.”

According to him, “in LP, there is no imposition, there will be no capital flight when we assume leadership of the state,” saying the people “will enjoy the success of the party as is being experienced in Ondo State by the Olusegun Mimiko’s administration.”

He noted that the party will reduced the fees being paid by all students in the state to the barest minimum, as it is in Ondo State, so that the children of the masses and the poor will enjoy good education, good health facilities among the dividend of democracy.

Speaking at the rally, the Governor Mimiko urged Ekiti people to vote Bamidele as their next governor.

He described Bamidele as “a man of character, integrity and one who has a combination of uncommon virtue with experience to deliver the good of democracy.”

Fayemi assures rural dwellers of dividends of democracy
The people living in rural areas in Ekiti State are to enjoy more dividends of democracy as Ekiti State, as Governor Kayode Fayemi, on Tuesday, promised to empower more people at the grass roots to boost local economy.

The governor, who noted that most of the rural areas are far from urban life, said if rural dwellers were well-empowered, they would be self-dependent enough to cater for their needs and the needs of their families.

Fayemi spoke during his campaign tour to four communities in Gbonyin Local Government Area of the state.

Communities visited by the governor’s campaign train included Iro, Egbe, Imesi and Agbado, where he was received by residents, who promised to use their votes to return him into office.

He was accompanied by the senator representing Ekiti South, Chief Anthony Adeniyi; House of Representatives member representing Ekiti South II federal constituency, Mr Bamidele Faparusi; Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Ganiyu Owolabi; state APC chairman, Chief Olajide Awe and other party leaders.

Addressing the people of Egbe-Ekiti, Governor Fayemi said his government had provided basic amenities such as roads, quality health care, among others, in rural areas in the state to make life easier for the people in those communities.

He added that increased empowerment of the people in rural areas would be a major programme of his second term in office.

Fayemi also said APC remains the the best platform for the consolidation of the transformation being witnessed in the state.

Fayose warns against selling voter’s card •As Oore drums support for him
Ekiti State people have been warned of the consequence of releasing their voter’s card to certain people, who go about buying cards from people in order to rig the June 21 gvernorship poll.

The state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Mr Ayo Fayose, gave the warning at Igbemo in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state, during the ward-to-ward campaign tour of the council by Fayose, on Tuesday.

According to a press statement issued by Fayose’s spokesman and made available to the newsmen in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday, the PDP candidate asked: “If you sell your card for any reason and for whatever amount, you have succeessfully mortgaged the future of your children.”

Fayose said the elderly and illiterate people had been the target of these “criminals,” but advised them to call their children or people around any time the “criminals” demand for their cards.

The tour took the PDP candidate to other towns in the council such as Orun, Igede, Iyin, Iworoko, Iropora, Eyio, Esure, Are and Afao.

In another development, the Oore of Mobaland, Oba Adedapo Popoola, has said that the Ekiti obas have nothing against the PDP candidate.

Oba Popoola, who stated this at his palace in Otun Ekiti, on Monday, when Fayose visited him for royal blessing during a tour of wards in Moba Local Government, said he was compelled to clear the air over insinuations by political opponents of Fayose that the monarchs were not in support of him.

He said, “as far as Mobaland is concerned, the totality of our votes will go for Fayose. We don’t need Fayose to campaign to us because he is our son and he has been good to us.”

Group counsels stakeholders on peaceful poll
By Bola Badmus - Lagos

A socio-cultural group, the Ekiti Parapo, has enjoined all stakeholders in Ekiti State, including political parties, their candidates, followers, the parents, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria Police, among others, to ensure a free and fair governorship poll in the state.

President of the group, Chief Esan Ogunleye, said this in Lagos, while speaking with newsmen, shortly after the conclusion of the group’s meeting.

The meeting, which deliberated on the coming governorship poll in the state and the way forward, among others was attended by officers, Mr Dare Ojo, Chief Kola Akomolede, Mr Sunday Olowoyobiojo and Madam Iyabo Obasa.

According to Ogunleye, who insisted that desire of Ekiti Parapo was to have a peaceful and fair election that would guarantee one man one vote, all the stakeholders should ensure that the due diligence be followed to achieve the desired outcome.

Ogunleye appealed to the candidates to keep their supporters in check and the parents not to allow their children to be used by politicians, just he urged the INEC “to play by the rules, and not let their various employees do what is not in the books.”