By Valentine Amanze
The Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, on Wednesday, July 11, 2018, escaped death by whiskers at the Campaign office of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ado Ekiti.
Lere Olayinka, the governor’s Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, alleged that members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were behind the attack.
He also accused the Federal Government of working hard to truncate democracy in Nigeria.
“Today, those holding power in Abuja placed knife on the neck of democracy by unleashing terror on the peace-loving people of Ekiti State, including the governor, Ayodele Fayose,” he said.
He pointed out that attempt was really made to assassinate the governor, whom he said escaped being hit by the Police bullets and teargas canisters fired at him.
Olayinka narrated: “The armed MOPOL had barricaded the government house, preventing movement in and out of the seat of power in Ekiti State.
“The mission of the policemen, who acted on the instruction of the APC governorship candidate, Kayode Fayemi, was to prevent the PDP from
holding its victory rally slated for today. The APC was so intimidated by the huge crowd that converged on the government entrance that they invaded the Campaign Office of our governorship candidate with armed policemen.
“When Governor Fayose came out of the government house at about 11am to inquire why the government was blocked, the MOPOL Commander said openly, ‘governor my foot.’ He said he had instruction from above to kill whoever challenged his authority and before one could say jack, he ordered that his men should start shooting and firing teargas canisters.”
According to him, it was in the process that Governor Fayose sustained injury and fell and was immediately rushed to the Government House clinic and later to the State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, where he is recuperating now.
While doubting the possibility of a free-and-fair election in Ekiti on Saturday going by the attack the governor, Olayinka alerted that the APC did not want the votes of Ekiti people to count.
He also alleged that the APC was plotting to hijack power in Ekiti with the assistance of the police and DSS.
He therefore appealed to lovers of democracy and progress of Nigeria to rise in defense of the country now, before it is too late.
He called on the people of Ekiti to be law-abiding, while casting their votes on Saturday.
