ROTIMI OJOMOYELA writes on the rising violence and the attendant accusation and counter-accusation among the three major political parties as the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti state approaches
The three combatants
It is no longer news that the governorship race in Ekiti has come down to three-horse race, in spite of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s claim that about 26 political parties had indicated interest to contest the election.
The three gladiators are Governor Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress(APC), former governor, Ayo Fayose of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Opeyemi Bamidele of the Labour Party (LP).
Since the blast of INEC whistle in March 24, signalling the beginning of the governorship race in the state, a hitherto peaceful and reclusive state all of a sudden imploded in a frenzied orgy of violence which betrays every sense of homogeneity the state parades and enjoys.
Character assassination
The issue-based campaign earlier promised by the three major political parties and their candidates looks more like a mirage immediately the parties hit the roads in a bid to take to the doorsteps of the 132 towns in Ekiti State their messages, as violence, arm twisting, name calling, intimidation, character assassination, defamatory remarks and all sorts of dark and sinister dealings look more of the issues.
Journey to violence
Events in the last few days have further reinforced the ominous signs that if nothing concrete is done to rein in the violent tendencies of the candidates and their supporters, operation ‘wetie’ may as well be in the offing.
Days preceding the March 23, 2014 lifting of ban on campaigns and rallies, INEC, in concert with security operatives in the state, held series of meeting with stakeholders, including leaders of political parties, on the need for a violence-free governorship poll.
Trading words
However, the warning seems to have fallen on deaf ears, as there have been accusations and counter accusations among the political parties over alleged attack against their members by the opposing groups.
LP’s grouse
Precisely, this situation forced Bamidele, the LP standard bearer to suspend his campaigns and rallies till further notice until the security agencies would be able to provide adequate security cover for his members and supporters.
This action also served as a protest against alleged incessant attack and arbitrary arrest of his supporters and members of his party. Bamidele who made the disclosure during a press briefing at his residence in his hometown, Iyin Ekiti, Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti state which also serves as his situation and operation office, accused the incumbent governor of embarking on campaign of terror.
As earlier stated, since campaign took off, hardly a week passes by without one major violent clash involving the three major parties.
APC accuses opposition
Shortly after campaign kicked off, the state government raised an alarm through its Commissioner for Information, Kayode Ekundayo that members of the opposition political parties were destroying public utilities and warned them to desist from such act.
In like manner, the Director General of Kayode Fayemi Campaign organization, Bimbo Daramola, shortly after a welcome rally for Fayose on his return from Abuja where he had gone to pick his certificate of returns from the PDP, accused suspected PDP thugs of being responsible for the gunshot fired at one Babatunde Ogunleye, a member of the APC during the procession.
PDP’s defence
And the PDP was to later counter through the Director General, Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation, Dipo Anisulowo who said, the provocation came from the governor’s supporters. They showed bullet ridden vehicles parked in the premises of the campaign office as being the handiwork of alleged Governor Fayemi’s thugs.
Alleged gun-running
Early last week, the police arrested three members of a political party for gun-running and illegal possession of firearms. The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Felix Uyanna, said the men were arrested in Ikere Ekiti at about 6.30pm on Tuesday by his men following a tipoff.
Bamidele challenges police
Bamidele said recent activities of the governor and thugs allegedly sponsored by Fayemi’s APC, had forced him to put on hold; his scheduled rally. He said the rally could only continue until a time when the police give assurances that members of his campaign train would not be provocatively attacked.
He also vowed that “in the next few days, we will change our campaign tactics, we will consult and contact stakeholders within and outside the state on the way forward.
“We are standing on the right side of history, we promised a campaign of issues but what we are getting is a tyranny of incumbency from Fayemi and those who believe he must win a re-election by force. We are tired of a campaign where only the posters of the sitting governor will be allowed to be pasted in Ekiti.”
Cataloguing various harassment and attacks suffered by himself, his supporters and members of his party in the last two weeks, Bamidele said, “18 of my billboards have been destroyed by agents of the governor.
“It is on record also that during our rallies, my followers have been attacked in Egbe Ekiti, Ilupeju Ekiti, Imesi Ekiti, Ipole Iloro Ekiti, Itaji Ekiti and Ikere Ekiti. But the irony of it is that in all these places, the police led by their DPOs have watched helplessly as if nothing happens”
While pointing accusing finger at the incumbent governor for series of these attacks, Bamidele said Fayemi further took his attacks to the highest point early this month, when he did his (Bamidele)rally in his hometown of Iyin Ekiti.
He also accused Fayemi of coming to Iyin Ekiti at gunpoint to do a political rally, before and after which according to him several LP youths were macheted and arrested. Bamidele told of how two of Governor Fayemi’s aides allegedly led several cultists and political thugs to Iyin Ekiti 24 hours before Fayemi’s rally to rain havoc on the people.
Continuing, he said few minutes after Fayemi’s rally, eight of the LP youths were arrested and that they are still in police custody, as three others are receiving treatments in various hospitals.
Police justify action
But the police insisted that the eight persons arrested by their men at the said event, were suspected hoodlums, accused of allegedly blocking free flow of traffic on Ado-Iyin highway.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, Mr Victor Babayemi, disclosed that weapons recovered from the hoodlums, include two cutlasses, axe, catapult and other dangerous weapons, saying they were arrested for engaging in conduct likely to cause breach of public peace.
Bamidele vowed to take what he described bare faced injustice to court of public opinion.
“Between Fayemi and I, the world must hear us. The diplomatic community and rest of human rights groups must know the kind of campaign Governor Fayemi is running in Ekiti,” he further added.
Monarchs alleged partisanship
Bamidele also disclosed that “a formal petition would be made to the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar while two monarchs in the state had been reported to Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers.”
The two monarchs are Onipole of Ipole Iloro Ekiti Oba Babatola Ezekiel Olade and Onisan of Isan Ekiti HRH Sunday Ajiboye.
Onipole is being accused of partisanship and currently drawing double salaries as an Oba and Special Assistant under Fayemi administration, while Onisan allegedly used his throne to stop Bamidele from entering his town to carry out his campaign.
The Oniyin of Iyin Ekiti Oba Ademola Ajakaye who later received Bamidele and LP leaders in Ekiti in his palace stressed the need for all candidates to be given a level playing ground by those in authority.
You’re all guilty-Police
But in all of these, the state Commissioner of Police, Felix Uyanna, had at a time fingered the three major political parties as being culpable for the upsurge of violent attacks in the state.
He declared: “We won’t tolerate that. The problem had been that some politicians are trying to cut corners. They don’t want to play by the rules. But it will be in the interest of everybody, including politicians, if we obey the normal rules and put the interest of the people above personal interest in this game.”
Uyanna expressed serious concern over the consistent violence in the conduct of the parties’ electioneering and rallies.
He spoke at a meeting of the Inter-Agency Committee on Election Security, held at the police headquarters in Ado Ekiti.
The CP also noted that it was unfortunate that since the commencement of campaigns, the political parties had refused to curtail the excesses of their members and supporters, stressing that violence has become predominant despite earlier warnings and appeals for peaceful campaigns.
“Incidents of politically related criminal cases such as malicious damage of posters, billboards, banners and other valuable property, going armed, assault occasioning harm, attempted murder, wounding have not abated,” the police boss further added.
He regretted that the crimes cut across the three major political parties in the state, but noted that the only difference is in terms of frequency and depth of involvement.
Intolerance among political parties
Uyanna expressed concern over what he described as intolerance among the members of the contesting political parties, saying “the level of intolerance exhibited by all political actors towards one another is unjustifiable.”
According to him, the command had “so far recorded 25 politically-related criminal cases in which 14 have been charged to various courts of competent jurisdiction while others are at various stages of investigation.”
He charged the political parties and other actors owed it a duty not only to preach peace but more importantly to ensure their supporters are not allowed to engage in any violence.
INEC’s charge
In his remarks on the occasion, the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC, Halilu Pai, said the meeting was to remind the various stakeholders in the election of their responsibilities of each of them in the electoral process.
Pai noted that the answers to the prayers that the June 21 election should be the best, not just in the state but in the country, lied in the stakeholders’ abilities to play their roles well in the process.
Need for caution
With the level of accusation and counter accusation, it goes without saying that the road to June 21 governorship election in Ekiti state is strewn with thorns and laced with confusion. It is about time the candidates and their supporters make electioneering issue based rather than trouble based. This is the best way to achieve the best, as violence won’t pay anybody.