By Banji Ayoola
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Peter Ayodele Fayose, has declared that his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is heading for the court to reclaim its stolen mandate.
He was reacting formally for the first time to the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of All Progressives Congress, APC candidate, Dr Kayode Fayemi, as winner of Saturday’s governorship election in the state, which he believed was won by his party’s candidate, Prof Kolapo Olusola.
He reacted on his Twitter handle on Monday asking President Muhammadu Buhari to bury his head in shame for allegedly using the police, army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and INEC to snatch the mandate given to Olusola and deliver it to Fayemi whom Ekiti people rejected.
He broke his silence just as his party raised an alarm that 20 of its members in the state are missing.
According to him: on this Ekiti election, President Buhari demonstrated truly that he is not a democrat, but a dictator and fascist per excellence.
If APC truly won, why was it that there was no jubilation in Ekiti? That victory of Kayode Fayemi is pyrrhic, we will reclaim the stolen mandate in the court by the power of God.
As for me, I am Peter Ayodele Fayose, I hold with my head high. I can never be suppressed. I don’t lose battles and I will not lose this. By the power of God, I will laugh last.
Also in another statement on Monday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, he described the process as a “charade.”, saying that the fact that President Buhari commended the conduct of the election showed that he lacked democratic credentials by applauding and approving it.
He said the conduct of the exercise was “a charade that passed for the governorship election in Ekiti State last Saturday.”
Fayose, who said he was reacting to a statement by a media aide of President Buhari, Mallam Garba Shehu, entitled “Fayose: In the end, a high-powered nothing,” issued by the Presidency to react to Saturday’s election, said “if Buhari was a Democrat, he would not have supported a situation whereby the will of the people was subverted through the use of brutal force.”
He said: “President Muhammadu Buhari should not be happy and applaud this situation whereby the police, army, civil defence and INEC were used to snatch the collective mandate freely given to the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Professor Kolapo Olusola and delivering it to the All Progressives Congress candidate which Ekiti people rejected.
“Can you call that election? Of course not. It was a contest between Olusola and the INEC and security agencies. There were the indiscriminate arrest of our party leaders, harassment and brutalisation of voters on a massive scale, especially in Ado Ekiti, Ikere and others areas.
“The thugs imported by the APC operated freely under the cover of security agencies to snatch ballot boxes, create confusion, cause mayhem and drive away voters in PDP strongholds. Our party agents were driven away with a gun.
“Buhari has demonstrated truly that he is not a Democrat, but a dictator who is yet to get over military mentality. Muscling of democracy in Nigeria today by the Buhari administration is not about Ekiti alone. Presidential aspirants and PDP states should prepare to have a taste of brutality of this administration. This is why we all need to stand up to rescue Nigeria from Buhari.
“I am Peter Ayodele Fayose, I hold my head high. I can never be suppressed. I don’t lose battles and I will not lose this. I will laugh last. Those waiting for me will wait in vain. They should remember what the prophet said to that heady king in the Bible, which applies to them. ” He that wears the armour should not boast as he that removes it.
“It is only Buhari that will pride himself with the security shooting sporadically at polling centres, scaring people to pave the way for the APC thugs to snatch ballot boxes.
“What Buhari has won as referendum from Ekiti people, Nigerians, and the international community is a shame. If APC has truly won, why is it that there is no jubilation in Ekiti?.
“The victory of Kayode Fayemi is pyrrhic. We will reclaim the stolen mandate in the court by the power of God,” he said.
On Mallam Shehu, the Governor said being a fair weather friend, he would soon desert his paymasters.
“Garba Shehu was in the Presidency courtesy Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for eight years and came back for this current dispensation still courtesy Abubakar. Now, he has abandoned the person who brought him to the limelight.
“This is not surprising, when he was the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors during the regime of General Sani Abacha, he wined and dined with the maximum ruler. He would go under the cover of darkness to collect money purportedly for editors, but everybody knew what he did then. Nigerians are waiting to nail him in the end.”
Ekiti PDP declares 20 of its members missing
Against this backdrop, the Ekiti State chapter of PDP has said that no fewer than 20 of its members are still unaccounted for after last Saturday’s governorship election in the state, alleging that the Federal Government only came to conquer the state.
The Chairman of the party in the state, Chief Gboyega Oguntuase, who addressed newsmen in Ado Ekiti, on Monday, decried the conduct of the election and said the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election was a product of “poll robbery”.
According to him, the PDP members were arrested by the police from their homes in various parts of the state, some the days leading to the election and others on the Election Day.
He described the governorship poll as “an embarrassment to Democrats across the globe”, and alleged that APC governors from some states in the country were present in the state allegedly to monitor the election in the areas that had been assigned to them to spend.
Oguntuase said: “It was a trans-state conspiracy. Governors who came to Ekiti personally to supervise areas assigned to them in the state and spend money to buy votes. They brought over N11 billion, money meant for the development of their states.
“We shall regain our mandate by legal means. We shall soon resolve on the court case. The declaration of Dr Kayode Fayemi as the winner of the election is poll robbery. The facts will speak for themselves.”
He lamented the deployment of 30,000 policemen in the state for the election, saying said: “What did they need 30,000 police officers for in Ekiti when criminals were killing Nigerians in other states? Ekiti people knew they were in our state for a task and not to protect their votes and that was why there was no jubilation or ceremony anywhere in the state after the election.
“This election was far from being free, fair and credible. In Ilejemeje, Ilawe, Ikole, Ise/ Orun, Oye, Ado and other major towns in Ekiti, many of our people were beaten by APC thugs being aided by the security men.
“As we speak, the results declared by INEC to give victory to Fayemi was more than the number of accredited voters. So, where did they get the additional votes they added?
“We are going to use every constitutional means to retrieve this stolen mandate, it is just a matter of time.
“APC mobilized over N11 billion to buy votes in Ekiti. They came here to perpetrate electoral perfidy and such will not stand.”
On those allegedly arrested and detained members, Oguntuwase told the police to release them to the party, saying: “We are not going to tolerate excuses that they had escaped from detention when they cannot be found anywhere from police.
PDP said there was nothing unusual about the congratulatory message sent by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to Fayemi on his victory, saying that was what was expected from an elder statesman.
“We are not embarrassed and we can’t join issue with Chief Obasanjo on that . When a young man becomes successful, the elders will congratulate him. But the former President will soon change when he realises that Fayemi actually stole the victory.”
Oguntuase accused INEC and security agents of conspiring to subvert the will of the electorate, accusing the two bodies of being neck deep in the allocation of votes to Fayemi, just to disgrace Governor Ayodele Fayose, who has consistently been posing as the major opposition to President Buhari.
He said over 20 members of the party, including the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Dipo Anisulowo and four of his aides among others were arrested by combined forces of military and paramilitary security outfits and clamped in detention on the day of election.
Oguntuase stated that the Federal Government deliberately delayed June allocation to Ekiti to create impression that Fayose was owing salaries and to sway votes for APC.
On those arrested and detained members, he told the police to release them to the party, saying : “We are not going to tolerate excuses that they had escaped from detention when they cannot be found anywhere from police.
“They must not just be released immediately to us, they must also be hale and hearty”, he added.
Scores injured as APC, PDP clash in Idanre
Some chieftains and members of the PDP in Idanre Local Government area of Ondo State were at the weekend attacked allegedly by members of the APC who were said to be jubilating over the victory of the party’s candidate in the Ekiti State governorship election, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
As a result of the attack, some PDP members were hospitalised just as some properties were destroyed.
According to Thisday, some of those hospitalised include the PDP lrowo Ward Chairman, Mr Fredrick Akindayomi, and Chief Lisagha Olatunji.
Also, the party secretariat located at Alade/Atosin Ward was allegedly destroyed by the attackers.
It was gathered that the APC supporters immediately after the announcement of Fayemi, invaded the houses of the PDP leaders in the council and unleashed mayhem on them.
But the state Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr Alex Kalejaiye, denied the attack saying it was a ruse.
Kalejaiye said: “lt does not make sense that we will attack the opposition after winning an election.”
Commenting on the matter, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the Ondo State Command, Mr Femi Joseph, said it was not true that APC members attacked PDP members in the town.
Joseph said the clash occurred when members of the two parties were mocking one another.
He said it was the members of the PDP that were first mocking members of the APC when their (PDP) candidate was leading.
“But when the table now turned, the APC then started their own mocking which later resulted into a clash leading to injury of about two persons.
“One person also said his motorcycle was damaged. We swiftly moved in our men and the matter was brought under control and calm returned to the area,” Joseph said.
Narrating their ordeal, the Director of Media, Ondo PDP central senatorial district, Hon. Mayokun Akinmoladun, alleged the APC supporters invaded Idanre town especially houses of PDP members.
“They wounded many people. Most serious of them is the party chairman of Irowo ward, Mr Fredrick Akindayomi aka Joogbe, who is now in the hospital.
“They destroyed the party secretariat in Alade/Atosin ward Idanre, 800 blocks were equally destroyed at the secretariat.
“They felled the ornamental trees at the house of a PDP leader, Chief Lisagha Olatunji, in Idanre.
“They destroyed the motorcycle of Mr Fredrick Akindayomi among other things all in the name that they were celebrating the victory of Dr Kayode Fayemi in Ekiti State,” Akinmoladun said.
Akinmoladun said that the attack was reported at Olofin police station.
Observers say APC, PDP bought votes, warn of danger to 2019 elections
Nigerian civil society groups on Monday accused leading political parties of buying votes, after reports of cash inducements at a key governorship election.
Kayode Fayemi, of President Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC), won the closely watched vote in the southwestern state of Ekiti on Saturday.
Both the APC and the PDP, which has held power in the state since 2014, were alleged to have paid voters 3,000 to 5,000 naira ($8-13, 7-12 euros) each.
The election was seen as a litmus test of support for President Buhari in the Southwest of the country as he looks to win a second term office in February next year.
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room coalition of groups said its monitors “observed widespread financial inducement and vote-buying in and around several of the polling units”.
“The major political parties were very much culpable in this breach,” said Situation Room convenor Clement Nwankwo in a statement.
The extent and “brazenness” of the practice raised concerns that elections were being “monetised with impunity”.
“This trend portends grave danger to Nigeria’s democracy, as it undermines the responsibility of citizens to freely choose their leaders and threatens the essence of democracy.”
International observers also said cash inducements had replaced ballot box-stuffing as a practice because of the introduction of handheld devices to read biometric voter identity cards.
Joe Ekei-Odumakin, of the Women Arise for Change Initiative, said poverty was to blame in a state where public sector workers had not been paid for several months.
She said people’s heads had been turned by “wads of naira” rather than political issues and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to intervene.
“This kind of cash-for-vote practice makes a mockery of our democracy and INEC must stop the trend before the next elections,” she added.
Governor-elect Fayemi, who was Buhari’s solid minerals minister until recently, has promised to pay the salary backlog after he is sworn in to office later this year.
Financial mismanagement as well as recession have been blamed for the arrears in wages not just in Ekiti but in other states across the country.
Economists say late and non-payment of salaries prolongs sluggish growth while anti-corruption watchdogs warn it makes workers more open to bribery.
Falana says NBC saved Ekiti from slipping into violence
Lagos-based lawyer and human rights activist, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, said that the state would have been plunged into a deep crisis after the election if the National Broadcasting Corporation had not shut the Ekiti State Broadcasting Corporation on Saturday.
Governor Fayose had taken to the station to announce results in favour of the PDP candidate and the state Deputy Governor, Olusola, as the winner of the election, which the NBC said was against the broadcasting code.
Falana, however, called on the Ekiti State Governor-elect, Fayemi, to use his good offices, when he assumes office, to end inducement, thuggery and impunity, which he said the state had been associated with in recent times.
He also condemned the manner in which the voters were induced, saying: “The NBC deserves commendation for closing down the Ekiti State television and radio stations where false results were announced by Governor Ayo Fayose. But for the closure, the state would have been engulfed in the violence of unimaginable proportion.
“No doubt, the financial inducement has substantially eroded the credibility of the election. The governor-elect, Dr Kayode Fayemi, owes the Ekiti people a duty to end inducement, thuggery and impunity with which Ekiti State has been associated in recent times.
“In particular, the electorate should be enlightened to distance themselves from electoral fraud and allied offences. The open purchase of votes displayed during the governorship elections in Edo, Anambra and Ondo states was repeated in Ekiti State on Saturday.
“I will like to call on INEC to put an end to the inducement of voters during the forthcoming Osun State governorship election.”
Akwa Ibom PDP refutes alleged N5b donation to Fayose
PDP, Akwa Ibom State has described as unfounded an allegation by the APC that Governor Udom Emmanuel spent a whopping N5billion in Ekiti state in the just concluded governorship elections in the state.
APC chairman in the state, Mr Ini Okopido, had in a statement at the weekend, alleged that Governor Udom Emmanuel, who chairs PDP Governorship Committee donated N5billion cash to Governor Fayose to woo the Ekiti electorate during the just concluded elections in the state.
Speaking with journalists in Uyo on Monday, the Akwa Ibom PDP publicity secretary, Mr Ini Ememobong said such allegation was a fabricated
lie by those still nursing the pains of having lost the 2015 elections to the ruling PDP in Ekiti state“The APC in Akwa Ibom State has for the past few days exhibited an unbridled capacity in concocting falsehood engineered either by crass ignorance mischief.
“The claim that Governor Udom Emmanuel donated N5 billion to the Ekiti State Government for the prosecution of the just concluded elections is manifestly false and can only be a product of minds seeking political attention from the government and their paymasters.
“This claim is totally unsubstantiated and practically impossible. The question here is: what are the expected benefits of investing N5billion in Ekiti,” he queried.
He called on the supporters of the party and residents of the state to ignore the wild alarm, assuring that Governor Udom Emmanuel, as a ‘prudent manager of resources’, would not engage in such financial recklessness.
We have learnt our lesson – Mega party
Ekiti State chapter of Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN), has said that Saturday’s governorship election in the state was an opportunity for it to retool and reposition for future elections especially with 2019 around the corner.
MPN state chairman, Mr Dare Adekolu, who said the outcome of the election and its performance had taught its lessons on how to grow, said the party, through adequate preparation for future elections, would ensure that its “initial mandate to make Ekiti great again is not jeopardised”.
Adekolu said in a statement in Ado Ekiti on Monday where he reviewed the standing of the party that issues around the party’s candidate for the election played the vital role in setting it back in the build-up to the election.
While congratulating Fayemi, on his victory at the poll, the MPN chairman said: “MPN will provide the credible opposition to the incoming government to check excesses and ensure the land and its people are not denied of development and better lives.
“We will use our constitutional rights to compel any government that is there to do the right thing to make Ekiti great again”.
He said: “As a new party, the outcome of the election is not a setback for us, but stepping stone for the realisation of our mission to rescue Ekiti from bad governance and ensure the prosperity of the people. We have learnt our lesson. We are people of very strong mind and will.
“We believe that obstacles are challenges to do more. From now, we’ll begin preparation ahead of the future election to occupy the exalted seat.
“We are embarking on internal reconciliation. Then we will start reaching out to prominent people in the state to join hands to take the state to greater heights. Right away, we are grooming new leaders to make the party stronger”.
According to him, the party has learnt never to allow a repeat of the situation whereby aspirants who were prominent members defected following the party primary where Dr Sunday Balogun emerged as the candidate.
“But surprisingly, Balogun having won at the primary did not show commitment to the party leaving members distraught. It was this that made the Terms of Settlement issue which was ratified by the court successful paving way for the emergence of Chief Bisi Omoyeni as the candidate.
“All along, we had to contend with lack of trust and confidence among members and party faithful especially with a candidate who didn’t show commitment, a new candidate who crossed in from another party and infusion of new members into our EXCO,” Adekolu stated.
Nigeria needs urgent legislation against vote buying – Clement Nwankwo
ONE of the observers accredited by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to cover last Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti State, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has called for urgent legislative action and law enforcement to tackle the challenge of vote-buying in Nigeria’s elections.
Situation Room, which is made up of about 70 civil society organisations working in support of credible and transparent elections in Nigeria, decried the advent of vote-buying he said was escalating and expressed concern that the worrying trend of vote buying had risen to a disturbing level.
The Executive Director of the Situation Room, Mr Clement Nwankwo, who briefed newsmen in Ado Ekiti, on Sunday, warned that if not checked, it portended “grave danger to Nigeria’s democracy.”
Nwankwo said the development had risen to the level where it could “undermine the responsibility of citizens to freely choose their leaders and threatens the essence of democracy.”
Citing the incident of monetary inducement by major political parties in Ekiti governorship election, Nwankwo said vote-buying represented a major setback to the gains made to Nigeria’s electoral process and denies the citizen the right to hold their leaders responsible to them.
According to him, the yearning for the women participation in politics as well as they’re being elected as the representatives of the people because of the increasing cost of electioneering campaigns.
On the violence and ballot snatching which have become a reoccurring decimal, the Situation Room urged the police to be proactive in the enforcement of electoral act to reduce violation of the law, especially as it relates to voting to buy.
He however commended the police and INEC for the “noticeable improvement in the conduct of the election.” He nevertheless calls on the commission to improve on the access to the polling units to people living with the disability, the elderly, pregnant women and nursing mothers.
Nwankwo, therefore, called on citizens of Ekiti State to remain peaceful and urges all persons aggrieved with the outcome of the election, to remain peaceful and urges all persons aggrieved with the outcome of the election to follow legal process in seeking remedies.
Oni congratulates Fayemi
A former Governor of Ekiti, Chief Segun Oni, has congratulated Fayemi over his victory in Saturday’s governorship election.
Oni, who was the immediate past National Deputy Chairman APC, contested the party’s primary with Fayemi on May 12 and polled 481 votes to emerge second.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Director General of his campaign organisation, Dr Ife Arowosoge, he said Fayemi’s victory in the governorship election was “resounding.’’
“On behalf of Chief Segun Oni and the entire members of Atunse Ekiti Movement, we heartily and wholeheartedly congratulate our Governor-elect, Dr John Kayode Fayemi, on his well-deserved victory.
“We equally congratulate the Deputy Governor-elect, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, on the resounding success at the polls.
“The victory is a clear affirmation of our people’s preference for the progressive ideals that our party stands for and their desire for better governance architecture in the state.
“It is a welcome restoration of hope and departure from grandstanding and penchant for the dramatic, rather than for the enduring.
“It shows clearly where our people stand and brings to a decisive close the questionable outcome of the election of four years ago, ” Oni said.
Oni thanked the state executive and the entire members of the party for working hard to achieve victory for the party and its candidate.
“We rejoice with the leader of our party, President Muhamadu Buhari, under whose watch Nigeria is witnessing a great boost in genuine democratic practice and process.
“We salute the leadership and doggedness of our elders in the South West, particularly Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande, the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomole and our own leader, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, the Deputy National Chairman, South, who have started their tenure on a winning note.
“We are grateful to the good people of Ekiti for their support.
“This victory calls for celebration, not only for the refreshed hope it represents for the state, but also for the good it portends for our country.
“We are confident that Ekiti State will witness better days ahead under Dr John Kayode Fayemi and this victory will be replicated in Osun State and in the 2019 presidential elections,’’ he added.
Group scores poll high
But an observer group, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), said the election was “free, fair and credible.“
The CCD Executive Director, Mr David Anyaele, who said this at a news conference in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, said there was no evidence of rigging in the final result as released by INEC.
“The outcome of the election reflects the will of the people, our members on the ground reported that INEC deployed logistics early and the turnout was massive in spite the fear in several voters.
”For now, we cannot point to any evidence of rigging. What is just going on is more of misinformation by some politicians and their agents, who are all over on the social media,” he said.
The executive director, however, decried the treatment meted out to people with disabilities sent out to monitor the election.
He said CCD deployed 44 observers, 98 per cent of whom were persons with disabilities to monitor the exercise in the 3 senatorial districts of the state.
According to Anyaele, the observer group also used statistical principles, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to observe the election.
The CCD boss said the findings of the group across the monitored polling units indicated that there was need for improvement on preparedness by INEC for People With Disabilities (PWDs) in future elections.
He stressed the need for such an improvement, particularly for the visually impaired (the blind), hearing impaired and the physically challenged.
Anyaele also called on INEC to ensure that more polling units were located in an open space where PWDs could have free and unhindered access to exercise their civic responsibility.
According to him, extra effort by the electoral body will also ensure adequate provisions that will enable the participation of voters with different forms of disabilities.
He advised the people of the state to eschew violence, and called on the aggrieved with the election outcome to seek redress in the law court.
”I think fundamentally, anyone who is not happy with the results of the election should feel free to approach the court of law as the last resort. Resorting to violence is not of use to any of us and our nation.”
CCD was one of the many Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in collaboration with the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, (JONAPWD) accredited by INEC to monitor the election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday declared the former Minister of Mines and Solid Minerals Development as winner of the election after securing 197,459 votes.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate and current Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, scored 178,121 votes.
Other results declared by the Chief Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, include Accord, 250; Action Alliance, 41; ACD, 1149; AD, 216; ADB, 1082; ADA, 107; AGAO, 31; ANRP, 125; APA, 1199; and APDA, 464.
Also declared were APGA, 70; ANPP, 14; DA, 14; DPC, 147; DPP,181; FJP, 42; GPN, 20; I.D, 31;, KOWA, 23; LP, 280; MMN, 35; MPN, 23; NDLP, 44; NPC, 353 PANDEL, 74; and PGC, 1242. The rest are DPA, 632; PPN, 107; SDO, 367; UDP, 29; UPN, 33; YDP, 31 and YPP, 49.
The total valid votes in the election was 384,594 while total votes cast was 403,451, with 18,857 votes invalidated.
Election held in 2,195 polling units spread across 177 wards in the 16 local government areas of Ekiti while 35 candidates contested.
Photo: Governor Ayodele Fayose
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