Ekiti Election: INEC Stakeholders Meeting Disrupted By PDP And APC Supporters

APC and PDP

Stakeholders Meeting Stopped Before The End Due To Disorderliness

The stakeholders meeting convened by Ibrahim Idris, the Inspector General of Police and the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, was allegedly disrupted by supporters of PDP and APC in Ekiti State.

Report has it that the problem started when a member of the PDP and Chairman, Committee on Information of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Samuel Omotoso, spoke at the forum, and the supporters of the All Progressives Congress started booing.

Omotoso, while raising his observations stated that Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who happens to be the APC governorship candidate allegedly boasted that he would be declared winner whether he wins the election or he loses.

He also raised concerns about how he and his family were harassed by APC supporters and his mother shot at.

The APC members became uncomfortable, when Omotoso was keen on mentioning Fayemi’s name in his observations and raised their voices to shut him up, but he rejected every attempt to stop him from talking.

Immediately Omotoso stated his observation, the PDP supporters started shouting Eleka Ibo, meaning “vote Eleka”.

Efforts by the IG to control the crowd failed, thus making him to beckon on the Chairman of the Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers and Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, to intervene. Oba Ademolaju was also unsuccessful.

When the disorderliness persisted the INEC chairman, the IG and other heads of security agencies were force to use the the back door to leave the venue.

Fayemi left the venue, passing through the crowd while he was guided by some security agents and his followers. Idris and Yakubu had addressed the gathering before the uproar.

The IG said no fewer than 4,390 soldiers and paramilitary officers would be deployed to complement the 30,000 policemen that had been deployed in Ekiti for the election.

Idris added that a Deputy Inspector General of Police, an Assistant Inspector General of Police and five Commissioners of police would be in charge to give directive and ensure that the election was conducted under a conducive atmosphere.

Idris said, “We want all the party supporters to refrain from all acts that can precipitate violence at the polling booths such as canvassing for votes, wearing of party insignias, dissuading voters from voting for candidates of their choice, loitering and blaring of the siren on the day of the election.

“We will also not tolerate ignoring of restriction of movement orders by the police. Don’t see the election as a matter of life and death.

“Let me state that police will not hesitate to deal with anybody no matter how highly placed found flouting electoral laws.

“Let me call for the collaboration and support of the entire sister agencies and the INEC officials. Police officers have been warned to be of good conduct during and after the election.

“If you notice any misconduct on the part of any policeman, do not hesitate to report to the senior officers on the ground or contact me directly.”

In his contribution, Yakubu said the commission decided to distribute the Permanent Voter Cards to the ward level to motivate the electorate to collect and exercise their civic rights.

He announced the extension of the PVC collection to Wednesday.

“For transparency, all uncollected PVCs will be brought to the INEC office in Ado Ekiti and warehoused for safekeeping until a new date is fixed to resume the PVC collection.

“However, since the Anambra State Governorship election held in November 2017, we have introduced an additional measure of transparency.

“I wish to reassure that our officials are under strict instructions to remain neutral. We have also accredited credible foreign and local observers to monitor this election.

“We are confident that with the arrangements we have put in place, the Ekiti State Governorship election will be another good example of free, fair, credible and peaceful election and a further affirmation of the maturity of our democracy,” he stated.

The State Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti, Prof Abdulganiyu Raji, who also affirmed that the election in the state will be credible said a total of 913,334 persons had been registered by the commission out of which 667,064 had collected their PVCs.