Ekiti Assembly Rejects Guber Poll Results, Adjourns Till Oct

Members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly have condemned and rejected the result of the July 14, 2018 governorship election as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Speaking at the House plenary in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, the Leader of Business, Hon. Akinyele Olatunji, described the process leading to the election and final result as unfortunate. Akinyele condemned the harassment of the state Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders across the state and members of the state assembly by security men. The Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Samuel Omotoso, said the election of July 14, 2018 did not meet up with all democratic credentials. He pointed out that the election was marred by outright brigandage, vote buying and falsification of results. In his contribution, the Deputy Whip of the Assembly, Hon. Ekundayo Akinleye, remarked that the outcome of the July 14 governorship election had shown that Nigerians should not expect free and fair elections in the 2019 general election. He pointed out that there were discrepancies in the final figures released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In his reaction, the Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Kola Oluwawole, described the election as a show of shame, with thugs and security men openly working for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). Oluwawole said the figures were brazenly doubled to favour the declared winner and expressed confidence that the stolen mandate would soon be retrieved. The contribution of members at the plenary led to the passage of an eight-point resolution by the House. The resolutions included that the election was heavily militarised with palpable fear on the faces of the electorate; that the security agencies compromised to the bidding of the APC; that the APC induced voters with money with the connivance of the security agencies. Others were ballot snatching by APC thugs, while PDP supporters were molested and chased out of the polling booths and collation centres in open glare of security men. The lawmakers concluded that the result of the governorship election stood rejected by the House, that the security agencies should vacate the entrance of the Government House where they were currently laying siege and also condemned the siege to the government-owned radio and television outfits by armed military personnel. The Assembly members called on the security agencies to leave Ekiti State to allow government business thrive unhindered. Meanwhile, the House has adjourned sitting to October 8, 2018. The Leader of Business, Olatunji, who moved the motion for the adjournment, said this became imperative due to the harassment of members by security agents. The motion was unanimously supported by other members present at the plenary.]]>