news
update
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Tension
in Ekiti over soldiers’ presence
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By Semiu
Okanlawon, Akin Oyedele and Simon Utebor
Punch 24-04-09 |
An atmosphere of confusion pervaded Ekiti State on
Thursday over the reported appearance of soldiers in
the streets of the state capital, Ado-Ekiti and
other areas.
This contributed to the mounting tension as the
state prepares for the rerun governorship election
holding in 63 wards of the state on Saturday.
The election was ordered by the Appeal Court, in
Ilorin Division, Kwara State, which nullified the
election of Mr. Segun Oni.
Oni will square it up with the candidate of the
Action Congress, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who had
contested the victory of the PDP candidate in the
court.
The appearance of the soldiers was contrary to the
earlier announced decision of President Umaru
Yar‘Adua not to approve the deployment of soldiers
for the election.
The soldiers, who were said to be heavily-armed,
were in two Toyota Hilux vans and dressed in the
Army camouflage.
Numbering about 20, the soldiers parked their
vehicles opposite the Total Filling Station, Fajuyi
area of the state capital around 5pm.
Another detachment was later sighted in three trucks
at Ajilosun and Irona areas of Ado-Ekiti a few
minutes later in combat gear moving towards Fajuyi
where the first set was earlier seen.
Special Adviser to the President on Communication,
Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, had announced on Wednesday
that the President did not see any reason for the
deployment of soldiers.
But the Peoples Democratic Party had consistently
called for the deployment of soldiers for the
election to ward off troublemakers, while the AC had
denounced the call as an aberration, insisting it
was part of PDP‘s strategies to rig the poll.
Rumours were rife that a certain serving General and
a serving Senator from the state might have
influenced the deployment of soldiers from the Army
formation in Akure to the state.
A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, an indigene
of Ekiti State, also confirmed that soldiers were on
ground at Ado-Ekiti, Ifaki-Ekiti, and Oye-Ekiti (the
hometown of PDP chieftain, Senator Ayo Arise.)
He said, ”Since the President has dissociated
himself from deploying troops in the state, we call
on the Inspector-General of Police to arrest and
prosecute these soldiers, as we suspect that they
are fake soldiers.”
But Adeniyi, confirmed again last night that there
was no fresh directive from Yar‘Adua for the Army to
deploy its men for the rerun election.
Adeniyi stated, ”There won‘t be troop deployment in
any form. The President stands by his words on that.
”In fact, as from 06.00 hours on Friday, all
soldiers on security-related duties in the state
will be withdrawn. The President does not want
soldiers to play any role whatsoever during the
poll.
“All commanders of various military formations have
been once again directed not to deploy troops in
Ekiti under any guise. The President is insisting on
a free and fair poll. He has also directed the
police to discharge their duties during the election
without favour to any group.”
Also contacted, Director of Army Public Relations,
Brig-General Chris Olukolade, said, ”Soldiers are
not being deployed in Ekiti. As far as this election
is concerned, they will not be involved in Ekiti. We
take it (the election) as a police affair.
“The soldiers we have in Ekiti now are not there for
election. We have soldiers in cities like Lagos and
Ibadan, assisting the police to do their duties. On
election day, these soldiers will not be there. The
presidential directive is still in force.”
The AC‘s spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who said he
had called the Presidency on hearing report of the
appearance of soldiers, told one of our
correspondents that the party had no reason to
disbelieve Yar‘Adua, who had publicly said no troops
would be deployed.
“We can confidently say that those in Army uniform
must be fake and we expect the IG to order their
immediate arrest,” Mohammed said.
When contacted over the discovery, the Commissioner
of Police, Ekiti State Command, Mr. Chris Ola,
denied knowledge of the presence of soldiers.
He dismissed the possibility that the soldiers might
be fake, saying that it was not impossible that some
”concurrent military formation” might have come to
town to monitor the election.
He said his men were battle-ready for the election.
Ola added that a Deputy Inspector-General of Police,
Mr. John Ahmadu, was in Ekiti State to lead the
police team for the monitoring exercise.
He said, ”Nobody has given me information that
soldiers are coming and I have not seen any. No
soldier has reported to me and if you saw soldiers,
they might have come from the concurrent military
formation also interested in monitoring the
election.
”As far as I‘m concerned, the police are ready, as
we have ever been, for this election. We have men on
ground and the few that will complement us have
started trickling in.
”You know they will have nothing to do on Friday
because nothing is happening yet. For now, I can‘t
tell you the number of policemen that we will use
for the election.
”The DIG will be addressing a press conference by
9am tomorrow (Friday) by which time you will get
details. Some other senior police officers will also
be on ground.”
The Acting Governor of the state, Mr. Olatunji
Odeyemi, through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr.
Rotimi Ajisola, also denied knowledge of the
presence of soldiers in the city.
He said, ”I have confirmed from the acting Governor
and he said he was not aware of deployment of
soldiers. We dissociate ourselves from that. We will
address the issue tomorrow.”
There had been growing tension in the state over
possible violence during the election, following
which some residents, including students, had been
moving out of the state in droves.
Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, had also witnessed an
influx of politicians with sirens and police
escorts.
Meanwhile, Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan led the
final rally for the PDP‘s candidate, in Ido-Ekiti,
where he called on voters to support him.
At the rally were the National Chairman, Chief
Vincent Ogbulafor; South-West zonal chairman of the
party, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo; and PDP governors:
Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala (Oyo); Otunba Gbenga Daniel
(Ogun); and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun); and
the Senate President, Senator David Mark.
Oyinlola used the opportunity to deny allegations
that he promised to import army uniforms and weapons
into Ekiti for the rerun.
Meanwhile, the AC in a statement on Thursday
criticised the Independent National Electoral
Commission over its failure to accredit “credible
observer groups for the rerun.”
He urged INEC to follow the footsteps of the
President by creating a level-playing ground for the
conduct of the rerun election.
He wondered why a group like the Alliance for
Credible Elections was not accredited by INEC,
considering the importance of the Ekiti rerun in the
country‘s quest for free and fair elections.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Chief Olusola
Adebayo, said that 23 observer groups were
accredited.
Speaking in a telephone interview with one of our
correspondents, she explained that the Ekiti INEC
had no input into the list, which she said was
compiled by the INEC headquarters.
Asked for the criteria adopted in choosing the 23
groups, she said that everything was done in Abuja.
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