Traditional rulers in Ekiti State have urged All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to avoid deploying soldiers to the state during the governorship election scheduled to hold on July 14.
The Obas also warned security agencies to avoid unlawful arrests of members of opposition parties as obtained in times past.
The monarchs stated their position at a meeting with heads of security agencies and the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.
At the meeting hosted by the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, and chaired by the Chairman of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, the traditional rulers expressed their fears ahead of the governorship election.
Ademolaju, who addressed the gathering, said, “We have learnt that INEC wants to use students instead of the usual corps members; we need to know who should be doing this job; and we want the security agents to be fair in their dealings with everyone in the state.
“We don’t have reasons to doubt your (INEC) competence; we want you to prove your competence.
“We want INEC to be above board. To the security agencies, we know that your job is herculean but we urge you to do your job as professionally as possible, be as diligent as possible, be as dispassionate as possible.”
Specifically, the Attah of Ayede, Oba Abdulmumuni Orisagbemi, said the council kicked against deployment of soldiers in the state.
“What we are saying is that we don’t want any unlawful arrests during the election. If you have any issue with anyone, leave it till after the election. We don’t want soldiers in Ekiti, this is an election, not a war.”
Also, the Elemure of Emure, Oba Emmanuel Adebayo, said, “There should be no frivolous arrests, that’s what the monarchs have agreed on. We want the security agents to work hard to protect their reputation and names.”
Responding, Ekiti State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Abdul-Ganiy Raji, thanked the traditional rulers and urged them to tell their subjects to avoid hate speech.
“They also say a lot of things about us; this is also affecting us too.”
Raji explained that it was the policy of INEC as a body to use staff and students of federal establishments in the state for its operations.
He said, “We are going to partly use electronic gadgets. Our smart card readers are now enhanced. We used them successfully in Ibarapa and not a single fingerprint was rejected. Come with your party agents to monitor our activities. We will be transparent.
“Where there is violence, we will rerun the election. We will not cancel, we will return the following day to conduct the election with full security.”
