EKITI: Aftermath Of PDP Campaign, One Killed As Police Open Fire At Governor Fayemi And His Supporters.

Ekiti state will on June 21 conduct a  governorship election and there are campaigns by the various parties to ensure they get to the state house. On Saturday, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ayo Fayose, was presented by the party’s hierarchy, including President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice-President Namadi Sambo and PDP National Chairman, Adamu Muazu, at the stadium.

On Sunday however  violence erupted  in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, resulting in the death of one, with many people injured.

It was gathered that the Police attacked the convoy of the Ekiti Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, following the disruption of a peaceful rally embarked upon by members of the All Progressives Congress.

The members, who were returning from Oluyemi Kayode Stadium ‘after sweeping the place’, were ambushed by the police, who allegedly fired tear-gas and live bullets, to disperse them.

The APC supporters on Sunday went to the stadium to sweep it in order to purify the soil stepped upon by the PDP members.

Irked by the development, which they considered offensive on Sambo who was still in the town, the police swooped on the APC members to disperse them.

The governor, who arrived at the scene of the attack in company with his security details was not spared by the police, who again fired tear-gas at his convoy.

An eyewitness said a security detail that tried to protect the governor from the onslaught was harassed by the state Mopol Commander, Mr. Gabriel Selenkere, who attempted to disarm him.

A source said the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Felix Uyanna, who appeared at the scene about an hour later, apologised to the governor.

Uyanna told the governor he was there to protect him. But the governor, who was shocked by the development retorted, ‘You are here to protect me and your men were shooting at me. I am the Chief Security Officer of this state and your men were firing at me. You have killed someone now! You have killed someone! Whose interest are you protecting?”

 The state Chairman of the PDP, Makanjuola Ogundipe, however  claimed that it was Fayemi that led APC thugs to cause trouble in the town.

He said, “A situation where the Chief Security Officer of the state is the law breaker calls for serious concerns.”

Ogundipe, who warned the APC against attacking their members, said, “I want to assure them that if they don’t stop the trouble, we will not hesitate to do the needful.”

The state Publicity Secretary, PDP, Mr. Kola Oluwawole, claimed that the man killed in the attack was a member of the PDP, although he could not give his name.

But the Police Commissioner, in a statement, said the police had no hand in the killing, saying the victim was attacked by members of the APC and the PDP, who clashed during the rally.

“The CP and the Director of SSS, Mr. Samuel Tamuno had to mobilise to the point . We heard that the Governor wanted to visit the scene and we advised him against that which he did not heed. So, the police should not be held liable for this,” he said.