Pandemonium In Ekiti Over Death During Protest

Olaiya was said to have been hit by a stray bullet when a bus conveying the 19 APC lawmakers in the assembly were coming from Osun State and the protesters blocked the road to prevent access to the state capital, Ado-Ekiti a development that reportedly led to a commotion.

Though, his co-protesters were said to have taken him to a nearby hospital, it was said he later gave up the ghost after the medical team could not save his life.

But the police is yet to confirm the death as all attempts to speak with the Police Commissioner, Mr Taiwo Lakanu. He promised to call back on the matter, saying the command was trying to put some things in shape first while the mobile phone of the state Police Public Relation Office was switched off.

This is coming just as the State Council of Traditional Rulers have expressed their worry over the development pledging to intervene in the tussle between the 19 All Progressives Congress, APC, lawmakers and the state governor, Mr Ayo Fayose.

Security agencies were said to have turned back the APC lawmakers, stopping them from entering the state.

Mean-while, there were anti impeachment protests in various parts of the state yesterday, while leadership of the labour movements including the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, the Trade Union Congress, TUC, the Joint Negotiation Council, JNC, and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE mobilising their members to the assembly to prevent the APC lawmakers from impeaching the governor.

Ado Ekiti, protests were equally held simultaneously in major towns of Ise, Emure ,Efon Alaaye, Iworoko, Aisegba, Ikere, Ogotun Igbemo, against the attempt to impeach Fayose from office.

In Ado Ekiti, civil servants were prevented from accessing their offices while most shops and banks hurriedly closed shop and human and vehicular movement restricted.

Some Senior Secondary School students, presently sitting for the West African School Certificate Examinations outside the capital were turned back by party thugs.

The police commissioner, Mr Taiwo Lakanu, had deployed Armoured Personnel Carriers and personnel to all the affected towns and troubled spots, while the House of Assembly complex was sealed off by heavily armed policemen, who kept vigil in the place.

The deputy governor, Dr Kolapo Olusola, who spoke on behalf of the governor likened the APC lawmakers onslaught to the biblical oppression by the Egyptian against the people of Israel, expressing confidence that the governor will triumph over his enemies.

“This Egyptian war led by APC will be defeated. Governor Fayose did not elect himself, but the people put him there. This is just a passage and it will go by the grace of God. I want to assure you that we will see this war against an anointed man no more in few days time”, the deputy governor said.

The Head of Service, Dr Gbenga Faseluka also thanked the workers for showing solidarity with the state governor and assured them of government’s care all the time.

However, monarchs in the state under the umbrella of Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers will on Thursday meet to deliberate on the ongoing political crisis in the state.

The Chairman, the Onitaji of Itaji-Ekiti, Oba Adamo Babalola, said in Itaji-Ekiti on Monday that monarchs in the state would not fold their arms and watch the situation degenerate.

Commenting on the situation, Oba Babalola warned against resorting to violence.

“We have been told the runaway legislators are coming back to Ekiti State and that impeachment notice has been served. I don’t know whether that is true, but we need to give peace a chance and allow the Obas to come in to deliberate on the matter.

“We have made attempts severally to settle the dispute between the executive and legislative arms. The legislators did not answer us.

“I don’t know why coming to Ekiti should involve impeachment. We will hold a meeting on Thursday to deliberate on the matter.

“People should maintain peace and people should not be disallowed from doing their businesses. The court is there for adjudication and we should make use of that,” he said.