Rally was illegal–Police
Armed policemen on Wednesday disrupted a political rally tagged ‘Victory Walk’ organized by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State ahead of the July 14 governorship election.
It was gathered that policemen deployed to the state for the election Ekiti State invade the pavilion where the rally was held and harassed everyone, including the state governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose.
Addressing journalists after the incident, Fayose who wore with a neck brace said he was slapped and kicked by a police and asked supporters of the party to remain resolute and vote for Prof. Olusola Kolapo Eleka who is the governorship candidate of the PDP.
“My people, the Lord will fight this battle. The COMPOL MOPOL of Nigeria Police and the AIG ordered that the governor should be killed. I was slapped by a policeman and shot at.
“But I want you to be of great courage. This battle must be won. This is an army of occupation. I want you to stand and remain standing.
“I hope they will not cause 1983 crisis. I call on the international community, Ekiti is under siege. How can I be the governor of the stage and be treated this way? I will go back to the hospital and remain there for a while.
“Stand with Eleka. I am having a lot of pain and I decide to bear this pain because of you, I am pleading with the international community, Nigeria is in trouble. They have arrested so many teachers, many okada riders, they put them in jail. Come and save Ekiti, this is our hour of tribulation.
“They said they have the instruction to kill me and the candidate of our party. They said they have the result they would announce on Saturday,” he said.
Meanwhile, the deputy inspector general of police, Habila Joshak, said the party did not get approval for the rally.
Addressing journalists after the event, Joshak said the police would not undermine the governor and any citizen of the state but that approval must be taken before any political rally could hold.
“We are not here to usurp the authority of Governor Fayose. We are not here to rubbish him because he represents the people
“But we are not going to allow any authorized rally that can trigger violence in the state. You can see that the state is tensed up.
“As law enforcement agent, we must be proactive and take actions that can prevent crisis rather than trying to quell it after it might have broken out,” he said.
