The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dragged the Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for allegedly unleashing violence on its members and supporters in the state.
The party, in a petition submitted to the commission by its Secretary in the state, Omotosho Ayodele, accused Fayose of using thugs to attack and intimidate the opposition in the State.
“Fayose’s boys are always on the streets macheting, scaring people as vehicles and houses are being damaged. In spite of various petitions to the police, nothing has been done,” said Ayodele.
“Governor Fayose does his things with impunity and nobody challenges him. With what we have seen so far, we can no longer guarantee a violence-free elections in Ekiti State. The activities of Fayose is undermining the peace pact signed by our presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari and President Goodluck Jonathan,” he added.
He further alleged in the petition, that “on January 21, 2015, Mr Fayose’s thugs and members of the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) dressed in army and police uniforms backed by policemen attached to the Government House ransacked and vandalised the APC Secretariat on Ajilosun Street, Ado-Ekiti, while the security guards on duty were assaulted.
“On January 24th, Adeleke Samson, a student’s union leader who attended the APC presidential rally in Ado-Ekiti with his colleagues, was attacked by Mr. Fayose’s thugs. He sustained life-threatening injuries on his head.”
Executive Secretary of NHRC, Professor Bem Angwe, who received the petition, restated the commitment of the comm
ission to prosecuting the promoters of violence and hate speech during and after the 2015 general elections in the country.
“Your allegations are against a sitting governor, if they are false, portend serious consequences, and if they are true, they still have consequences.
“We would ensure that the allegations are thoroughly investigated and see that appropriate sanctions are meted out to anybody found culpable no matter how highly placed,” he said.
