Ekiti Governorship Elections: APC Heads To Court.



APC said: “Voting in Ekiti may have been free of the usual violence or manipulation at the collation centres, but the entire electoral process in the state was neither free, fair nor credible. “Therefore, in order to prevent a recurrence of what happened in Ekiti, especially the militarization of the process, the harassmentand intimidation of citizens, especially those in opposition, my party has decided to challenge in court the role of the military in policing elections.
“We will also encourage our leaders and supporters, who were arrested, harassed and intimidated to seek the enforcement of their constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental rights that were recklessly abridged by the security agencies, especially soldiers. “Our decision to act is not only to ensure that these irresponsible and unconstitutional acts are not repeated in subsequent elections, especially that in Osun in August and next year’s general elections, but also because we have always said that evil thrives when good men do nothing!,” the party said.

However, the NEC commended the party’s candidate in the election, Dr Kayode Fayemi, saying he displayed rare sportsmanship by conceding defeat and congratulating the winner, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.
“We are very proud of Gov. Fayemi for his conduct and comportment before, during and after the election, and we hail him as a true democrat in the true spirit of the APC’s belief that election is never a do or die affair, and that Nigerians must always be free to elect those to govern them,” the party stated. The party therefore, highlighted some of the key events that preceded the election which “negate the principles of a free, fair and credible election. “From the militarization of the election to the police attack on our supporters, arrest and detention of our leaders across the state and the use of huge funds to induce voters, the federal authorities skewed everything in favour of the PDP”.
The party also mentioned what it described as over-militarization of Ekiti state ahead of the election, as well as prevention of Governors Rotimi Amaechi of riversand Adams Oshiomhole of Edo from attending the mega rally of Dr Fayemi. “While still on this, it was widely reported that two aircraft made a total of three flights to Akure Airport ferrying what is suspected to be raw cash for use in the Ekiti election.
This was neither denied nor investigated, just like no one investigated the police attack on our peaceful supporters during a peaceful procession in Ado-Ekiti on June 8th that led to the death of one person; the tear gassing of Gov. Fayemi when he intervened to save the situation; the interception of over 200 boxes of electoral materials by security agents in Ekiti and the busting, three days to the election, of a pro- Fayose and PDP gang in a resort owned by Fayose’s Campaign Manager while they were thumb printing ballot papers ahead of Saturday’s election. The 22 young men, who were arrested, were also caught preparing INEC form EC8,” the party alleged.

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