NIM, Aare Ona Kankanfo deplore police attack on Fayose

The Nigeria Intervention Movement, (NIM) has faulted the Police for manhandling Governor Ayo Fayose in the process of preventing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from organising a peaceful rally in Ekiti State ahead of the governorship election scheduled to hold tomorrow.
 
In a statement jointly signed by leaders of the movement, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) and Dr. Abdulljalil Tafawa Balewa, yesterday, the movement described the police action as equivalent to an act of thuggery and pure violation of the 1999 constitution.
   
NIM stated: “We wish to state in clear terms that such act of thuggery by an agent of the state like the Police, is a rape on Nigeria’s democracy, as well as, contemptuous violation of the sacred laws of the nation, especially section 108 of the 1999 constitution, which up till this moment confers immunity on every sitting governor and therefore, such barbaric use of coercive force on a sitting governor should be vehemently condemned, sanctioned by the Federal Government and resisted by the Ekiti people to prevent a dangerous conspiracy by state agents against the constitutional democracy as well as the human rights and freedom of the people.”

Also, the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has urged all stakeholders in Ekiti, including political parties, candidates and the electorate to ensure peace and tranquility before, during and after the election.
 
In a statement he released yesterday, Adams expressed concern over the prevailing security situation in the state, stressing that election should not be a do-or-die affair.He said: “In the build-up to tomorrow’s election, Ekiti has been in the news for the wrong reason. A situation where the security of the electorate is not guaranteed is not acceptable to our democracy in the 21st century.”
   
Adams pointed out that  Ekiti governorship election holding tomorrow will be the first in the Southwest, since his installation as the Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land in January. “As the Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, with strong belief in the promotion of Yoruba culture, and a proponent of peace across the world, I urge the Inspector General of Police, the Department of State Security (DSS), and other government security architecture to rise up to the challenges of ensuring peace in the exercise.
 
While appealing to the electoral umpire to ensure the election is free, fair and transparent, Adams maintained that a situation where security operatives allegedly wear masks few hours to an election is uncalled-for, stressing also that politicians must play by the rules, not forgetting that elections would go, but Ekiti State will remain.