The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State says Governor Ayodele Fayose has now perfected the art of using violence to govern the state.
The Punch Newspaper had reported on Wednesday, that thugs of the Peoples Democratic Party, attacked APC supporters and witnesses during a tribunal hearing on the March 28 Ekiti Central Senatorial election between APC’s Gbenga Olofin and PDP’s candidate, Fatima Raji-Rasaki.
Fayose would on the same day, condemn the publication, saying the paper was against his government.
The APC chapter in the state, reacted through its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, on Thursday in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.
APC warned Fayose against extending “his harassment and clampdown on the media as he had done to the judiciary and the legislature.”
Olatubosun said Tuesday’s incident “showed clearly that the governor, who keeps an army of thugs at the ready to strike against perceived enemies, has chosen violence as an art of governance.”
He alleged that the attack on APC members was because the tribunal had turned down Raji-Rasaki’s plea to reject Olofin’s request to admit the voter register and card reader as exhibits in the case.
The statement further said:
“Seen as a blow to the case, her (Raji-Rasaki) supporters and scores of thugs in anger emerged from the nearby Government House to violently attack the APC supporters within the court premises with several of them sustaining serious injuries, forcing the presiding judge to warn the PDP leaders to control their supporters in their violent act.
“We condemn this act of violence that the governor has chosen as an instrument of governance. More condemnable is choosing the judiciary as the theatre of war.
“Last time, Fayose led thugs to the court to disrupt proceedings in the hearing on the suit challenging his qualification to contest the governorship election. To the chagrin of all, thugs in their hundreds with Fayose leading invaded the court, destroying court furniture and windows.
“Court records in the Chief Judge’s office were torn into shreds and Chief Judge’s Secretary thoroughly beaten. Not done, Justice Adeyeye was beaten black and blue and his coat torn by thugs.”
