Ekiti 2018: We’re opposed to rigging, violence

PROMINENT Ekiti indigenes, including Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, Prof. Banji Akintoye, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), among others under the aegis of Igbimo Ure Ekiti (IUE), on Sunday expressed serious concern about what they termed “demonstrated desperation” erupting from political gladiators in forthcoming governorship poll in the state, declaring their opposition to rigging, violence, thuggery and killing in the exercise.

On the other hand, they all jointly voted for one man, one vote, orderliness, the spirit of sportsmanship among contestants, peace and tranquillity.

Voters in Ekiti State would come Saturday, July 14, 2018, go to the poll to elect a candidate that would take over the mantle of leadership from the incumbent, Governor Ayodele Fayose, who would be completing his tenure in few weeks’ time.

The indigenes, who also included Chief Remi Omotoso, Mr Dare Babarinsa, Asiwaju Esan Ogunleye, Mr Ayo Ajayi, Mr Gbenga Oyebode, Engnr Dare Ojo and Mr Dele Adesina (SAN), gave this position at a press conference in Lagos addressed by the president of IUE, Prince Adelusi-Adeluyi.

Adelusi-Adeluyi, who is founder of Juli Pharmaceutical Company and also former Minister of Health, said members of IUE both individually and collectively continued to monitor the build-up of events leading to the governorship poll scheduled for Saturday, July 14, pointing out that the group felt serious concerned about the peace and safety of Ekiti sons and daughters.

“We are mindful of the demonstrated desperation erupting from some of the participants in the ongoing electoral process in the state.

“For instance, while the opposition believes that they are unstoppable in their quest to capture power and that they will stop at nothing to achieve this, the party in power, on the other hand, believes that it is immovable.

“Therein lies the danger unless something decisive is done by the well-meaning members of Ekiti State and those that are directly involved in organising and conducting the election. There is also the issue of maintenance of law and order to ensure a free, fair and transparent process to guarantee that the will of the people prevails at the end of the election. We can’t stand idly by while all this is going on,” he said.

“The overriding purpose of this press conference, therefore, is to say No to rigging. No to violence. No to thuggery. No to killing. No to ballot-box snatching and No to vandalism. On the other hand, to say with the unity of purpose; Yes, to one man, one vote, Yes to orderliness, Yes to the spirit of sportsmanship and Yes to peace and tranquillity. This is the purpose of this conference,” he declared.

IUP president, while contending that the strategic gains of a peaceful, free, fair, and transparent election, where the choice of the electorate was paramount cannot be overemphasised, said the need for the safety and security of the people must be of paramount concern to political players.

Adelusi-Adeluyi recalled the violence that trailed political contest in Ekiti State between 2010 and 2014 and what he described as the inconsistencies of the State Electoral Commissioner, Madam Ayoka Adebayo as well as earlier one in 1983 during the Second Republic, declaring that, “For us as a people and in particular members of Igbimo Ure Ekiti (IUE), we must protect the safety and security of our people in our land.”

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While pointing out that fact of history had shown that “Ekiti people regard cheating with aversion,” Adelusi-Adeluyi pleaded with all the stakeholders, including the Federal Government, the Ekiti State government as well as the security agencies to please allow electorate in the state to elect their own governor under a free and fair atmosphere in the interest of peace and stability of the state in particular and that of the nation in general.

“IEU wishes to appeal to appeal to all the stakeholders, including but not limited to the government at the centre, the state government as well as the security agencies to please allow Ekiti State’s electorate elect their own governor under a free and fair atmosphere in the interest of peace and stability of the state in particular and also that of the nation in general,” he said.

“As a people, we must learn from history. The failure to learn from history is the reason for repeating the same mistakes,” the IUE president warned.

Prof Akintoye, while saying that his spirit is sadly seen the desperation for power exhibited by current crop of Nigerian politicians unlike those in the past, declared that his message was that politicians angling for power should conduct themselves in a way that would not bring about loss of lives or disruption of peace that the society enjoyed.

This was just as he also said that Ekiti people were aversed to rigging, adding: “If anybody wants to rig, Ekiti people have the power to resist, but we don’t want violence.”

In his own remark, Chief Olanipekun (SAN) charges the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that what would be announced as the outcome of the July 14, 2018 election was truly the wishes of Ekiti people.

“Let what would be announced by the electoral umpire at the end of the exercise (election) be the true wishes of the people,” he said.