Following the disruption of All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Ado Ekiti and unruly behaviour of a police officer towards Kayode Fayemi , the state governor on Sunday, federal lawmakers from Ekiti State APC have demanded for the removal of the state Mopol Commander, Gabriel Selenkere who led the assault.
Led by Sen. Babafemi Ojudu, representing the Ekiti Central Senatorial District, the lawmakers on Monday, said Selenkere’s attack on the governor is an attack on all the people of the state, thus moving Selenkere from the state would be in the interest of peace.
“None of us was ready for violence. All that we were carrying were brooms, the symbol of our party. What it indicates is that we are dealing with people who are not prepared for democracy, who are not ready for one man, one vote, who are not going to allow a peaceful, free and fair election,” Ojudu said.
“We are not cowards. If they allow free and fair election, we will accept the result. But if anybody tried to force his will on us, we are not going to sit down and fold our arms. We are no slaves, we are freeborn. We have seen worst regimes in this country and we have stood up against them. We are going to stand up against this too.”
Ojudu expressed convinction that the attack was orchestrated saying, the perpetrators’ plans have already been foiled.
“Please, tell them they should leave us alone. We are with our kinsmen, the Yorubas, in the South West. Any attempt to cow us or intimidate us will be resisted across the country, especially in the South West,” he said.
“What the commander did yesterday was a collective insult on our people. That should not happen again. Our people were ready to take laws into their hand but the government kept appealing to them that we will protest officially.”
Ojudu called on President Goodluck Jonathan and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to transfer Selenkere out of the state in the interest of peace.
Meanwhile Governor Fayemi on the same Monday visited the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, and the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, to express his displeasure over the killing of one of his supporters when the rally was disrupted.
Fayemi told journalists in an interview after the visit to the IG that the matter has been duly tabled before the Police boss.
“I have lodged a complaint to the IG, and I believe the IG will look at it dispassionately, he will investigate and take appropriate action, that is the least I expect from him,” Fayemi said.
“I think officers have to be restrained in their conduct, I don’t think any officer is paid by the tax payers to shoot and behave in an irresponsible manner. It is just not an assault on the collective cause that we have to deepen this democracy; it is also a denigration of the institution the officer represents. I do not believe the OC, MOPOL ought to have behaved the way he did, he wasn’t professional.”
Fayemi said the altercation was an avoidable incident, adding that one of the rampaging policemen attempted to disarm some of his security detail in a brazen manner.
“Anytime there is a rally by the PDP, we come out the next day and sweep, that is our tradition, it’s a very innocuous, harmless thing, you could see them just sweeping. They are sweeping off whatever dirt remains,” he said.
“The sad thing is that the loss of life was avoidable. That was what i told the CP, that If we could lose an innocent life and on top of it, your officers can behave in this irresponsible manner including disarming officers that you have given me, that is not acceptable.”
Fayemi said if a governor is not protected in his state, then ordinary citizens should not even accept the police to act in their interest.
