Save Ekiti Coalition Seeks Justice Without Favour In Full Swing
Press Conference addressed today, November 6, 2013, by the Convener, Save Ekiti Coalition (SEC), Lere Olayinka on political violence in Ekiti State
Gentlemen of the Press,
We have called you here to express our concern on the spate of political violence being witnessed in our dear State, Ekiti since Governor Kayode Fayemi assumed office, which has led to the death of six people.
On Sunday in Emure-Ekiti, 37 year-old Foluso Ogundare was brutally murdered by people suspected to be supporters of the Governor Fayemi's faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC), thereby bringing the number of dead victims of Governor Fayemi's political intolerance to six, and we wonder how many people will still be killed before the 2014 election.
Before the Sunday incident, in which a woman, Madam Beatrice Ige was also shot in the buttocks, Ekiti State under Governor Fayemi had witnessed various attacks on perceived political opponents of the governor.
On November 18, 2010, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman for Osun-Ekiti Ward in Moba Local Government, Chief Adeleye Awolumate was killed in Otun Ekiti by Fayemi's thugs. He was among the victims of the reign of terror unleashed on the state on Thursday, November 18, 2010 by the Fayemi's thugs. The deceased, who was badly injured, was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Ido-Ekiti where he died on November 21 after a spirited battle to save his life by doctors in the hospital. Another major victim of the terror gang was a six months old pregnant woman, Adeola Akande. Adeola was being slaughtered like a goat until she was rescued from the thugs. She however lost her pregnancy!
Those who murdered Chief Awolumate were arrested by the police and subsequently charged to court. They were however freed; courtesy of the Fayemi-led government.
On March 23, 2011 at Kota, Omuo- Ekiti, Kehinde Fajuyi and Michael Ipinlaye were shot dead by thugs and policemen sent by Fayemi's men. Interestingly, it was only the policemen that were charged to court and convicted for murder while the thugs, who accompanied them, were left untouched.
On March 31, 2013, Ayo Murphy Jeje was shot dead at Erijiyan Ekiti by thugs led by the Interim State Chairman of the APC, Chief Jide Awe. He was among the members of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) from Erijiyan-Ekiti that were billed to decamp to the PDP on Sunday, March 31, 2013. A meeting on their planned defection to the PDP was being held at about 8pm on Saturday, March 30, 2013 when hoodlums attacked them, killing Ayo Jeje and injuring several others. On that same day, 76 year old Mrs Juliana Adewumi was also shot severally; she died few weeks later at the FMC, Ido-Ekiti.
As usual, the trial of the APC Chairman, Jide Awe and others charged to court for the murder of Ayo Jeje and Juliana Adewumi has been frustrated by the State government.
Apart from the above-listed murders, meetings of opposition parties, especially the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and members of the APC perceived to be opposed to the second term ambition of Governor Fayemi are being disrupted while billboards are being destroyed. As at today, a PDP governorship aspirant, Prince Dayo Adeyeye is in court, demanding N100 million compensation from the government for the destruction of his campaign billboards by the State Signage Agency. And not-minding this, the new billboards that he erected few weeks ago have been vandalised.
Many of us here witnessed the dastardly incident of Thursday, September 19, 2013, when Governor Fayemi unleashed gun-wielding thugs on the people of Ado-Ekiti in his bid to prevent the launching of the Ekiti Bibiire Coalition billed for that day.
Funny enough, instead of apprehending the government sponsored thugs, who blocked major roads in Ado-Ekiti, brandishing guns, cutlasses, knives and other dangerous weapons, the State Police Command chose to arrest supporters of the Ekiti Bibiire Coalition, claiming that the programme contravened Section 90 of the Electoral Act.
The question we have not stopped asking ourselves is that; which one is criminal and deserved prompt intervention of the police between the thugs that Governor Fayemi unleashed on the people that blocked roads in Ado-Ekiti while brandishing dangerous weapons and supporters of Hon Opeyemi Bamidele that were engaged in a peaceful rally?
Perhaps, if police and other security agents had been alive to their responsibilities, by making sure that all the KNOWN perpetrators of previous political violence in the State were punished in accordance with the law, those who openly invaded the meeting of Ekiti Bibiire Coalition in Emure-Ekiti on Sunday, carrying guns and other dangerous weapons and killing Foluso Ogundare would not have had the effrontery to do so.
Foluso Ogundare was killed because there is a kind of a regime of impunity in Ekiti State and unless the security agencies, especially the police put a stop to this by making sure that those who perpetrated the Emure killing are brought to book, there will definitely anarchy in Ekiti State anytime soon!
Our fear is further heightened by the fact that activities towards the 2014 governorship election will soon peaked and it appears that Ekiti State is in for another round of blood-letting. This is moreso that there is every possibility that the people might be pushed to such a state that they will begin to defend themselves against Governor Fayemi's thugs and the result of this is better imagined than experienced.
However, this can be nipped in the bud if some of the above listed murder cases are resolved and those found culpable made to face the law irrespective of their status.
It is therefore our plea to President Goodluck Jonathan to come to the aid of Ekiti people by directing the police to make sure that those who killed Foluso Ogundare and others must be arrested, prosecuted and punished, irrespective of their position in government.
As for us in the Save Ekiti Colaition, we will no longer keep silent while Fayemi and his blood sucking vampires keep killing innocent people in Ekiti. We have resolved that the time to save our dear Ekiti State from Governor Fayemi and his regime of vampires is now, and there is no looking back!
Thank you.
Lere Olayinka,
Convener, Save Ekiti Coalition (SEC)