Stop celebrating Fayose Election------------ Falana

Ekitiiconmagazine.blogspot.com

A legal practitioner, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN),
has called on the people of Ekiti State to be
moderate in celebrating the victory of a
former Governor of the state, Mr. Ayo
Fayose, in the last governorship election.
He said the governor-elect “cannot
change.”

He however said since Ekiti people had
made their choice, “I can only wish them
well.”
Falana, in an interview with The PUNCH in
Abuja, on Wednesday, said the credibility
of the election being used as a defence
point in political circles depended on
certain factors.
He said, “Ekiti people have voted and made
their choice; I can only wish them well. We
know what happened before, I am a
student of history. I know that Fayose
cannot change and so why do you think I
should be celebrating? I can only wish Ekiti
people well for their choice. Fayose
regretted it the last time. So what has
changed?
“Fayose said he had changed, which is a
reflection of the fact that what happened
the last time cannot be tolerated in a
civilised society; let’s wait and see. He
didn’t come with any programme and no
manifesto in this election. If people opted
for him, you can only wish them well.”
When asked whether the election was free
and fair, Falana said, “It depends on what
you mean by a free and fair election.”
He added, “In terms of the accreditation, in
terms of the actual voting and the collation
of results, the Independent National
Electoral Commission did very well this time
and there was a noticeable improvement.
“But when you look at the totality of the
election, militarisation of Ekiti State,
harassment by security forces,
disenfranchisem ent of some people by
the military forces, and the fact that the
place was invaded with 30,790 policemen,
soldiers and members of the Nigerian
Security and Civil Defence Corps, you can’t
say that was a free and fair election. You
must have an election in a free and fair
atmosphere.