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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) charges the people of Ekiti state not
to despair over the unleashing of violence on them by the President
Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate,
Dr. Kayode Fayemi, but square up for their inevitable triumph over
oppressive forces at the Saturday poll.
The party said in a statement signed by its spokesman Kola Ologbondinyan
said that the harassment, arrests, threats and Wednesday’s
manhandling of beloved Governor Ayo Fayose by the police squad detailed
by the APC, amplifies the clarion call for the people of Ekiti state to
march shoulder to shoulder with an unequaled vigour against the
oppressors by voting en masse for the PDP on Saturday.
“We know that the whole essence of heavy security presence in Ekiti state
is to attempt frighten the people and scare them away from participating
in the election, but such cannot work in Ekiti where the people are
famous for their boldness, fearlessness and resistance in the face of
repression.
“The PDP therefore charges the people of Ekiti state to use the election
to manifest to the world, their well-known bravery, by coming out in
their millions in defiance of all odds to vote for their preferred
candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola-Eleka.
“The PDP urges the people to fully exert their resilience by being alert
and using every energy available in a democracy to resist any act of
rigging by the APC and ensure that they protect their votes until the
very end.
“Furthermore, the PDP notes with dismay that the APC candidate, Kayode
Fayemi could conspire with external forces to bring in thugs and
policemen to attack innocent citizens and even encouraged the
manhandling of a sitting governor, just to satisfy his masters in Abuja.
“The people of Ekiti state are no longer at a loss regarding the
intention of external forces to use Dr. Fayemi as an entry point in the
attempt to foist an oppressive regime on them, strip them of their
ancestral pride and heritage and place them under subjugation. For this
they must resist the APC to the end.
“Finally, the PDP, for the umpteenth time, cautions officials of
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and
election observers participating in the election to note where the tide
is flowing and that any action contrary to set rules will attract
terrible consequences directly from the people.
“This is so because Ekiti is a known stronghold of the PDP and we shall
never allow anybody, by whatever means, to manipulate us out in this
election. We stand with the Ekiti people in their quest for one man, one
vote.