I have zero tolerance for violence, CP warns APC, PDP, LP

The Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, Mr. Felix Uyanna has alleged the top leading political parties in Ekiti State are continuously engaging in violence because of the coming governorship election.                  

Uyanna, who made the allegation in his opening speech at a meeting of the Inter-Agency Committee on Election Security, held at the police headquarters in Ado Ekiti yesterday, said the cuprits were All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP).

The meeting was attended by critical stakeholders like the PDP governorship candidate Mr Ayo Fayose, Kole Ajayi of Accord Party, Seyi Osekita of Alliance for Democracy (AD) Department of State Security, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service, among others.

The CP lambasted the politicians, saying that since the commencement of their campaigns and political rallies, “it is unfortunate that our appeals and warnings have remained largely unheeded and the political parties had failed to prevent violence in their campaigns despite his warnings and appeals for peaceful campaigns.”

“Incidents of politically related criminal cases such as malicious damage of posters, billboards, banners and other valuable property, going armed, assault occasioning harm, attempted murder, wounding have not abated.”

He regretted that the crimes “cut across the three major political parties in the state,” but noted that “the only difference is in terms of frequency and depth of involvement.

Uyanna also regretted what he described as intolerance among the members of the contesting political parties, saying “the level of intolerance exhibited by all political actors towards one another is unjustifiable.”    

According to him, the command had “so far recorded 25 politically-related criminal cases in which 14 have been charged to various courts of competent jurisdiction while others are at various stages of investigation.”

The Ekiti police boss also noted that “most of the political parties’ branded campaign vehicles have no registration numbers,” and added that “some (of the vehicles) are observed to be operating with sirens/revolving lights and tinted glasses without requisite approval.”

He warned political parties and directors of their campaign organisations that “drivers of such party-branded vehicles may be arrested and prosecuted while such vehicles are impounded.”      He charged that the political parties and other actors owed it a duty not only to preach peace but more importantly to ensure their supporters are not allowed to engage in any violent acts.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Ekiti State, Alhaji Halilu Pai, in his response said that the meeting was to remind the various stakeholders in the election of their responsibilities in the electoral process, noting that the answers to the prayers that the June 21election should be the best, not just in the state but in the country, lied in the stakeholders’ abilities to play their roles well in the process.

The Director-General of the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation, Mr. Bimbo Daramola represented his principal while leaders of the various political parties also attended the meeting.