FG has no special interest in Ekiti election- CP, others

Security chiefs in Ekiti State on Friday allayed the fears of stakeholders in the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti state saying the Federal Government has no special interest in the election. They dismissed rumour making the rounds of federal government deploying special federal might or impose anybody on the state .

At a security meeting with stakeholders yesterday in Ado Ekiti, they also warned leaders of political parties against sponsoring violence before, during and after the election, warning that whoever does that would be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

Those at the meeting were: Commissioner of Police, Mr Abdullahi Chafe, the Director of State Services(DSS), Mrs Promise Ihenacho, the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC), Mr Donatus Ikemefuna, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC), Mr Ismail Kugu, among others. Stakeholders at the meeting include: the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Barrister Gboyega Oguntuase, State Assistant Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Mr Gbenga Akinwumi, Accord Party State Chairman, Chief Samuel Odeoba, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ) , Ekiti Council, Rotimi Ojomoyela and representatives of other parties.

In his address, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Abdullahi Chafe, said: “Based on the fear raised about federal or state might, I want to assure you that the FG has no special interest in Ekiti election. “The only interest it has been that to ensure the security of lives and property and to also ensure that the votes of the electorate count. Chafe said intelligence information revealed that some politicians were secretly training youth to perpetrate electoral heist, warning that such would not be tolerated in the state. “We have realized that the FG can’t interfere with Ekiti election and that was why we have been giving all political parties the free hands to operate. Our neutrality accounted for the relative peace being enjoyed in Ekiti today, we are not partisan and we will never be.

“Ekiti was best known and respect as the Fountain of Knowledge, we want you to demonstrate this in this coming election, Chafe advised. Chafe added that the security outfits in the state are well prepared for the coming election, urging politicians to be cautious of their actions to avert bloodshed. “We are well prepared in terms of logistics and personnel. We will ensure orderliness during the primaries in all parties, campaigns, and on the day of election. “We have warned politicians against attacking their opponents, let there be mutual respect. I am particularly happy that you are no longer ready to be used for thuggery, this will make out job easier.

“We are going to give all parties equal opportunities and if we do this, we expect that all politicians must be guided by the provisions of the Electoral and party guidelines”. Speaking for the parties, the State PDP Chairman, Oguntuase and the APC Assistant Organising Secretary, Akinwumi, promised that all the parties will give maximum cooperation for the success of the election.