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Eschew campaign of calumny, Afe Babalola cautions Ekiti politicians

By Muyiwa Adeyemi (Head South West Bureau)
01 July 2018   |   3:28 am
Formost legal luminary, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), has appealed to politicians in Ekiti State to focus their campaigns on issues that will develop the state, instead of “indulging in personal attacks, character assassination, recruitment and deployment of thugs.”

Aare Afe Babalola, SAN

• Harps On Developmental Agenda
Formost legal luminary, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), has appealed to politicians in Ekiti State to focus their campaigns on issues that will develop the state, instead of “indulging in personal attacks, character assassination, recruitment and deployment of thugs.”

The nonagenarian, who spoke at the Summit for Ekiti development organised by Ekiti Council of Elders in Ado Ekiti, said: “What should concern politicians is how to develop Ekiti State and the elders should advise them in that regard.”

Apparently peeved at the propaganda that characterised their campaigns to win July 14 governorship election, Babalola said the politicians should “focus on the fact that Ekiti is landlocked, road-blocked, airport-locked, rail-way locked, industry-locked and power-locked. These are the critical issues that should dominate their campaigns and strategies.” 

The founder of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) Ado Ekiti, who chaired the summit, regretted that 21 years after creation of the state, the aspirations of its founders are still far from being realized, even as he condemned insecurity in the state, which did not make it conducive for economic development.He also called on Ekiti elders to join hands with other Nigerians demanding for restructuring and return to 1963 constitution.

The philanthropist disclosed that he was not only shocked at the rate of violence being experienced during the campaign, he said he had to personally pick the hospital bill of Hon Opeyemi Bamidele at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) and another gun victim brought to Afe Babalola Multi System Teaching Hospital in Ado Ekiti. 

He said: “In the recent past, there has been an upsurge in criminal activities in Ekiti State including robbery, killing, stealing, destruction of properties and kidnapping in Ekiti State.

“In April, some armed bandits invaded a First Generation Bank in Ifaki-Ekiti, in Ido-Osi Local Government Area of the State, killing innocent Nigerians, including Policemen, bye-standers and a pregnant woman. The state has known no peace since then.

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