Amidst mounting tension in Ekiti state,
especially the capital city of Ado-Ekiti,
over the deadlocked 25 April
governorship re-run election, the
federal government has deployed soldiers
in the state. The soldiers arrived in
Ado-Ekiti last night, in amilitary truck
and two Toyota Hillux vans. They were
reportedly posted to various parts of
the state capital, immediately they
arrived. It was further learnt that the
presence of the soldiers created fear
among the residents of the city who
started alerting one another of the
latest development and started deserting
the streets in the evening.The
soldiers were sighted this morning, at
the Ekiti INEC office, along new Iyin
road. They were also seen keeping watch
at the Ado-Ekiti post office and major
banks located along Secretariat Road,
G.R.A., Government House and the State
House of Assembly. When contacted, a
senior aide to the state acting
governor, Hon. Adetunji Odeyemi,
confirmed that they were aware of the
presence of the soldiers, but did not
know why they were deployed in Ado-Ekiti.
He told newsdiaryonline that the
acting governor had already summoned the
leader of the troops to come and explain
why they are in the already charged
capital city. Our correspondent,
however, gathered from an impeccable
source in Abuja, that the soldiers were
deployed in the volatile state by the
federal government to protect
government’s installations. The source
revealed that the federal government was
uncomfortable with the tense situation
in the state, which may lead to violence
and loss of lives and destruction of
property. That is why security has been
beefed up in the state capital.
Meanwhile,agitation for the release of
the result of the governorship rerun
poll in Ekiti State continued on
Thursday, as youths in their thousands
stormed the streets of Ado-Ekiti,
demanding that the result be announced
declaring Dr. Kayode Fayemi of the
Action Congress as the winner. As
early as 7.30am, the youth started to
arrive Fajuyi Park area of the town
where the rally took off. They marched
through the streets in the state
capital, terminating at the AC
secretariat at Ajilosun area of the
town. They accused Vice President
Goodluck Jonathan of attempting to
sabotage President Umaru Yar’adua’s
Administration, saying that the Vice
President had an unenviable record of
undermining his bosses.
Some of the placards carried by the
youth read: Yar’Adua, beware of
Jonathan; Yar’Adua, remember 1983;INEC,
don’t destroy democracy; Okiro, agent of
PDP;; Truth must prevail; Ekiti REC,
maintain your stand; and Declare Fayemi
now, among others. Addressing the
youth at the secretariat, the State
chairman of AC. Chief Olajide Awe,
praised the youth for their courage,
saying they were speaking the minds of
Ekiti people. He said as expressed by
the people of the state, their votes
must count in the choice of their
leader. He added that some people
advised him against allowing the youth
to stage a protest because of the
presence of armed security men parading
the streets of Ado-Ekiti, but that he
responded that protest anywhere in the
world is a legitimate right to demand
for the people’s right, stressing that
no amount of force can suppress the will
of the people while demanding for their
rights. He assured the people of
Oye-Ekiti of their safety, even as he
urged those that had fled the town over
insecurity to return home to pursue
their legitimate businesses.
|
