The Ekiti State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has alleged that the violence across the state smacks of government’s grand design.
A statement by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, on Friday, said, “Governor Ayodele Fayose should be held responsible for various acts of violence in the state”.
According to the APC spokesman, the current wave of violence in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital had all the trappings of the usual government-orchestrated violent acts to achieve a premeditated end.
Mr. Olatunbosun regretted that Ekiti people were used to the government-inspired violent acts, which they experienced between 2003 and 2006 during Fayose’s first stint, and expressed concern that the people had developed apathy to what is going on.
He said, ‘We had on several occasions raised the alarm over importation of thugs who are quartered in the Government House. Since their arrival, Ekiti State has slid into the era of one day one trouble that characterized Fayose’s government between 2003 and 2006.
“Eminent lawyer, Femi Falana, also raised the same concern, calling on the governor to send away his thugs to allow peace to reign in Ekiti State”.
He further said the APC sympathized with Hausa traders, who he said were victims of government-inspired violence to create a sense of insecurity to enable the governor devise extra-security measures that would allow him achieve a sinister agenda.
Mr. Olatunbosun, therefore, urged the security agencies to consider treating the party’s petitions on various acts of violence by the thugs kept in the Government House and devise a means of ending the violence in Ekiti State.
“We recall various unprecedented attacks on our members, their houses, our office and tearing or burning down of the posters and billboards of our candidates during electioneering campaigns over which we petitioned the National Human Rights Commission.
“After the elections, kidnappings began. Now is the time for urban violence pitting the thugs against Hausa traders to create ethnic tension that has potential for national crisis while at the same time the governor is planning to inaugurate the new House of Assembly on June 1 to create anarchy.
“It is regrettable that we are back to the era of one day, one trouble that marked out Fayose as a man that thrives in violence”, he said.