Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, came under siege for most part of Thursday by members of transport unions and the police as they disrupted the inauguration by the member representing Ado Ekiti/Irepodun/Ifelodun Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr Opeyemi Bamidele, of his Ekiti Bibiire Coalition.
On Thursday morning, members of drivers unions in Ekiti State had barricaded the major roads in Ado Ekiti with vehicles, heavy and light materials, thereby creating chaos in the town.
It was gathered from police officers and other security agents at one of the scenes of the barricades in Bashiri that the transport union members were allegedly protesting the non-donation of buses to their union by Governor Kayode Fayemi, whom they “accused of giving buses to every other union including traders and women groups.”
They also alleged that the union members’ protest was because the government had refused to construct motor parks for them as it had earlier promised.
However, there were claims that the angry union members were out “to prevent Mr Opeyemi Bamidele, whom they perceive as an enemy of the state government, from launching his governorship campaign.”
The drivers’ unions members, who were armed with new machetes, axes, clubs, cudgels, charms and sundry weapons, dared policemen to shoot them, saying they were “untouchable” just as they called the police officers and men names.
Their activities paralysed businesses, including transport businesses in the town as commercial motorcyclists and taxi drivers removed their vehicles from the roads while shop owners closed them.
Officers and men of the state police command worked hard to prevent further breakdown of law and order but had a hectic time as the hoodlums were unmindful of the armed policemen as they freely brandished their weapons.
The confusion died down after about three hours and businesses in the town gradually resumed.
Bamidele, a member of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, had arrived in Ado Ekiti through Ajilosun area of the town and was received by a large crowd of his supporters who were dressed in branded white T-shirts, who were awaiting his arrival.
Bamidele joined a long convoy of vehicles at the Mobil area of the town through Ijigbo Roundabout and rode through the town towards his office at Bashiri, while another large crowd of his supporters were at the popular Fajuyi Park with music, also waiting for his arrival.
But before Bamidele arrived at his Bibiire office, the police had begun to disperse his supporters with tear gas at the Oja Oba area and at Fajuyi Park.
Bamidele’s supporters who surged towards the office of the “coalition” were followed by the policemen, who intermittently released tear gas into the crowd, thereby forcing the people to scamper in different directions.
Workers at the nearby campaign office of the Minister of Police Affairs claimed that the tear gas got to their office and also alleged that the injured people were taken to a private hospital at Iyin Road.
Why we stopped the Bibiire launch —Police
Reacting to the development, the Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Mr Victor Babayemi, said the drivers’ unions protested in the morning, claiming that they were protesting because the state government did not build motor parks for them and also did not give them buses.
Babayemi said the police were there to ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order.
On the disruption of the activities of Ekiti Bibiire Coalition, the Police Public Relations Officer said Bamidele had violated the rules governing electoral activities in the country.
According to him, Bamidele, through his activities, violated the 90-day rule set by the Electoral Act, saying his activities in Ado Ekiti on Thursday “was a campaign and not a rally and we saw it as a violation of the Electoral Act.”
In his short address before the stampede, Bamidele had lauded the police, the State Security Service (SSS) and other security operatives for their efforts at maintaining the peace.
He also expressed gratitude to the elder statesman, Aare Afe Babalola for his fatherly role in the state.
When journalists approached the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Etim Oqua, at the scene of the incident, he declined comment.
Speaking later in an interview, Bamidele said: “What happened today is a major setback for Ekiti, which we call Land of Knowledge. It is an unprovoked, state induced terrorism against innocent people of the state.”
He said he would not be intimidated or suppressed by any force, declaring that he was resolved to answer the clarion call of the people by vying for the governorship post in the state.
“I wrote a letter to the governor to notify him about the campaign. But this morning, there were blockades preventing our supporters from coming into the state capital. Initially, they said it was the NURTW members that were blocking the road, but it took the intervention of eminent persons in the state like Chief Afe Babalola to get the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to open the road.
“The intention was to prevent me from doing the declaration, but thank God the declaration had been done. The people had shown that their love for me is real. And I’m overwhelmed by the mammoth crowd that turned out at the event,” Bamidele said.
“I will take this as another life battle to fight,” he vowed.
PDP, Fayose, Famuyibo, Adeyeye, others react
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, in a reaction to the development through its state Publicity Secretary, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, alleged that what happened in Ado Ekiti “was highly condemnable,” saying “the APC members in the state must realise that Ekiti people do not need bloodshed now and it is only in an atmosphere of peace that we can progress.”
Former Governor Ayo Fayose; Chief Rueben Famuyibo, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye, all governorship aspirants in the PDP, condemned the development.
Fayose, in his reaction through the Director- General of Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation (AFCO), Mr Owoseni Ajayi, said “sponsoring thugs to cause mayhem because a fellow APC member is interested in the governorship seat has clearly demonstrated the high level of intolerance and desperation of the Ekiti State government.”
Chief Famuyibo described the development as “a prelude to what they have planned for 2014 and charged the people of Ekiti State to be vigilant and identify those who truly love them.”
Prince Adeyeye in his reaction, said “the attack on supporters of Bamidele by suspected thugs is barbaric. This is a declaration of war against the Ekiti people .”
The Accord Party in the state also condemned the development.
The party, in a statement endorsed by its state secretary, Lanre Fasuan, said “Accord hereby condemns, in its entirety the show of shame that transpired in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital today (Thursday).”
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