PDP STORMS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, INEC IN PROTEST, SUBMITS PETITION AGAINST THE POLICE

 By: Jumoke Olasoji

**As the Ekiti State gubernatorial election draws nearer (two days away), the Nigerian citizens are entertained with scripts and left to be judge as they unveil.

**The Ekiti State gubernatorial election is scheduled to hold on Saturday, July 14, 2018.

THE NEWS

Members of the opposition party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led by its National Chairman, Uche Secondus, on Thursday stormed the main entrance of the National Assembly, Abuja in protest against the alleged attack on Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose and alleged brutality of the police on the party’s supporters in Ekiti State. 

Addressing newsmen on why they were at the National Assembly, Mr. Secondus said they were there to submit a petition to the lawmakers against the police but were stopped by security officers at the gate.

He made reference to a Wednesday incidence in Ekiti State where about fifty armed police were seen at the entrance to the State Government house, restricting movement in and out of the building.
Visuals emerging online, of the incident showed the police using tear gas to disperse the supporters, including the Ekiti governor, Ayodele Fayose.

Mr. Secondus described the incidence as a “a civilian coup” stressing that Ekiti State is  militarised and policed while its citizens live in fear.

“They are traumatised. They are harassed and they are being guided not to come out of their homes,” he said.

“If this is the type of democracy and election they tend to conduct by the APC and INEC, that means the 2019 election is under threat and we believe that if they continue in this manner and if they rig the election in Ekiti, there won’t be an election in 2019.

“The security agencies cannot be above the law. The executive cannot be above the law. We are aware that INEC has printed result sheet to do replacement by some security agencies. They did it in Edo, they are now ready to do same in Ekiti. Is that the type of democracy?,” he said.

He added that PDP is a peaceful party which believes in the rule of law.

Receiving the petition,The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekeweramdu, commended the protesters for the peaceful manner in which they conducted themselves.

“We have heard you and we will make contacts with all institutions of democracy as it concerns Ekiti state. We will make contacts with INEC, police and security agencies to ensure that they are neutral,” he said.

In response to the accusation against the police in the Wednesday event in Ekiti, The police through its

Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Caleb Ikechukwu, urged members of the public to consider the content of the postings as “misleading and aimed at causing anxiety in the minds of the public.”

Ikechukwu, who signed the statement on behalf of the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Election Duty Coordinator), Mr. Habila Joshak further explained;

“In furtherance to the presence of police officers around the Prof. Olusola Eleka Pavilion at Fajuyi on Wednesday, two political parties intend to have their rallies at the same date and in Ado-Ekiti metropolis.

“But the Commissioner of Police advised the political parties in writing on the need to have their political activities at different time and because of its security implication.

“The Police will, at all times, continue to maintain law and order and also rise up to their responsibility to perform their mandatory and statutory duty of protection of lives and property of innocent citizens before, during and after the election.

“The Police would also want to use this medium to alert the general public that they should expect more of this misleading information from person(s) who do not mean well to the good people of Ekiti State.

“The Police enjoin the general public to confirm the source of their information before circulating same to their friends or loved ones.”