By Gbenga Sodeinde, Ado Ekiti
As July 14 gubernatorial election in Ekiti State draw closer, gladiators including candidates of major political parties have pledged to play the game by the rule and maintained peace before, during and after the July 14 poll in the interest of the state.
Some of the political parties which include APC, PDP, SDP, APGA, KOWA, LP among others stated this during a stakeholders meeting with all heads of security agencies in the state at the Police Headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.
In a chart with journalists shortly after the closed door meeting, the
governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr.
Kayode Fayemi said the security agencies assured them of
adequate security of lives and property in the state.
Fayemi who was represented by the Director of JKF campaign mobilization, Hon. Femi Bamisile lamented the recent killings in the state. He noted that the candidates have all agreed with the security agencies on ways to ensure peaceful poll in the state.
“We had an interactive session with the security agencies, we all
basically agreed to what the security apparatus had told us and I want to tell you this is not the first election we will be having in Ekiti State.
“It is a process that needs to be done. All political parties told them
(security agencies) what our problem is and what we have been able to envisaged on killings that has been happening within the state. We discussed and we assured them that we are going to have hitch free in the state without intimidation from anybody. What bothers the mind is that why are the killings happening in this period of election,” he said.
Speaking with newsmen at the forum, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP,
Prof. Kolapo Olusola Eleka maintained that the stakeholders meeting has availed candidates to agreed on how to prevent violence in the course of the campaigns and on election day.
The deputy governor of the state urged the people of the state to
summon the courage on the day of election to exercise their civic rights ,adding that federal would not work in the state.
His words: ”We just concluded an interactive session with the
security agencies and all of us the candidates have agreed on certain issues as it relate with how to prevent violence and other things. They have assured us and we believe with what transpired today, all stakeholders are prepared for free, fair and transparent poll come July 14.
”The people should be bold enough to go out and perform their civic right. Nobody will harass anybody because the security agencies have assured us of non-partisanship. No federal might will work here, electorates should go out cast their votes and leave the rest.”
Also, the commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Bello Ahmed assured that all security agencies are ready for the poll, noting that flashpoints in the state had been aanalyzed.
The commissioner of police: ”The essence of the discussion is to
analyze the current political situations in the state. We all know
current situation of the state ahead of the July 14 poll. At the moments, all the candidates have been told our own side and we want to assure them that the remaining period of the campaigns and voting day, all must be well.
”We briefed them on our security arrangement and urge the need to
play by the rules and everybody must be allowed to exercise their
franchise. So far, so good, we are ready to conduct this election even if it is tomorrow.”
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Prof.
Abdulganiyu Olayinka Raji assured that INEC would be fair and
transparent to all political parties during the poll.
He disclosed that the commission has distributed non-sensitive materials across the 16 local government areas of the state. While assuring the voters that their votes would count on election day.
Prof. Raji solicited supports and cooperation from them in order to have a peaceful governorship election.
According to him; ”We are satisfy with the meeting and we have cordial relationship with
the political parties. They have all agreed to remain calm before, during and after the election and we are counting on their words. We on our part, we promised to remain with our core values, to be transparent and be fair to all.
”We are fully prepared for the election. All non-sensitive materials
have all been distributed to the local government areas and the sensitive materials will only come a day before election.
”I have been around the local government areas in the state, and we have ask for the cooperation to ensure peace reign during the election. We have equally gave them our words to ensure that people’s vote count. With the structures will have put in place, the votes must count.
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