THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South West region on Tuesday, condemned the massive deployment of security officials and equipment to Ekiti State for the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
The National Vice Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) (South West), Dr Eddy Olafeso, who stated this in Akure Ondo state capital, said though security measures should be put in place for the election but frowned over the number of security officials deployed for the election.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, had Monday announced that he was deploying the highest number of policemen and equipment to the state to ensure a free, fair and violent free election in the state.
But Olafeso alleged that most of the security operatives deployed to Ekiti were withdrawn from states with security challenges to help the All Progressives Congress (APC) right the election saying “rumours from reliable sources said these security men are the ones to be used.”
He said “they have deployed 30,000 police to a small state of Ekiti for an election when the country is yearning for security in all other spheres. In Taraba, Adamawa, Plateau and Yobe states, withdrawing the security operatives from that position and they will see the mayhem that would create.”
Olafeso also alleged that the APC in Ekiti is not preparing for election but perfecting plans to right saying “APC is not campaigning in Ekiti but what they are trying to do is to collude with the institutions of government to abuse and arrest the interest of our people.
“They are trying to collude with INEC, we have alleged them of pre-loading of PVC, and they are planning to stock ballot boxes where they can.
“Fayemi even boasted that they will use the power and the might of the federal government to bear upon Ekiti state but they are hell wrong”
The Southwest PDP also faulted the level of preparation for the election and said “we are worried about lack of preparation for the Ekiti election and commitment of the APC led government to ensuring that they try not to derail the democratic process that the PDP left behind in 2015.
“We ran an election, we failed and we handed over and wish them the best but since they took the mantle of leadership nothing has gone well in Nigeria.”
Olafeso while speaking on security said “several deaths across the country, it is too painful for Nigerians to go through this, and it so painful that the same government that lay claim that they want to change the prospect of Nigerians turned our nation in mysteries.
We are also worried about the destruction of lives and property across the country. We have seen and heard about the escalation of destruction of property across the country. The President inexcusable reasons for this is that the border is porous and its Gaddafi that is training people and sending them to destroy Nigeria.
“He has not been able to convince Nigerians that he has the capacity to perform his duty of ensuring that lives and property of Nigerians citizens are protected.”
Speaking on the need to replace the Service Chiefs, Olafeso urged the President to source for better hands saying “we believe for the last three years, killings, displacement and general lack of security in the country have been the lots of this nation and if these service chiefs are saddled with the responsibility of securing the lives of our people and have failed why are you keeping them in the jobs.?
Is their post a traditional title that they must hold to until they are dead? So what are they waiting for? Look for other people that can handle this job. Is it because the President is afraid that he cannot even take decisions on what we believe should be right for the country? The man has no agenda for security, and anytime he speaks about it, it is to irritate and annoy Nigerians”