Women in Ekiti state have issued a seven-day ultimatum to All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers to back down from the impeachment moves against the governor of the state, Ayodele Fayose, or they would invoke the gods against them.
The women in Ikere-Ekiti on April 22, Wednesday, staged a peaceful protest against the plot to remove Fayose and his deputy, Dr. Olubunmi Olusola, Daily Independent reports.
The women, who came out in their hundreds, started the protest as early as 5am at Oke Oja area, and danced round the town, chanting anti-lawmakers songs, warning that any attempt to impeach Fayose would provoke violence in the state.
The spokeswoman of the group, Mojisola Ogunjemilua, who spoke to newsmen after the protest, condemned the violence against the governor.
According to her, it was a direct confrontation against the people of Ikere Ekiti, where the deputy governor, Olusola, hails from.
She said: “Why is it that trouble will always come when Ikere son is in Government? Former governor of old Ondo State, Evang Bamidele Olumilua, was not allowed to complete his term due to military usurpation.
“When Mr. Abiodun Aluko and Bisi Omoyeni were also elected the Deputy Governors at different times in Ekiti under democratic setting, the two were not allowed to complete their terms and now, Dr Olusola.
“Fayose himself, who is from Afao Ekiti, shared historical connection with Ikere Ekiti.
“All we want in Ekiti is peace and we are calling on the lawmakers, particularly the two of them from Ikere constituencies to back out of the impeachment within seven days, failing, which we will invite the gods to intervene and this will be disastrous.”
Addressing the protesters, the regent of Ikere community, Ayooye Adegboye-Oyinlola, applauded the women for their peaceful disposition, calling on all stakeholders to listen to the women for development to be achievable in the state.
He also urged the lawmakers to grasp the olive branch offered to them by Fayose for Ekiti to be in peace.
Meanwhile, the Ekiti Council of Elders has decried the recurring political crises in the state, which they said is fast becoming a laughing stock in the country.
The Ekiti elders promised to summon Fayose and the 19 APC lawmakers to a peace parley to resolve the crisis, saying the efforts had become imperative to avert further violence in the state.
A press statement signed by the chairman of the Ekiti Council of Elders, Prof Tunde Oluwasanmi, and presented by the chairman of the Committee for the Creation of Ekiti State, Deji Fasuan, condemned the hard stances of the contending forces, stressing that they would not lead to a lasting peace in Ekiti.
“Not that we had not put in efforts in the past to broker truce between the two warring groups. We had even gone further by appealing to our royal fathers, who continue to command regards and high respect in our society to intervene. Unfortunately, we had failed in all these previous endeavours due to the apparent refusal of our difficult sons and daughters who are operating in the political space.
“We are now for the umpteenth time appealing to all politicians, especially those in government and the opposition in Ekiti State to bury the hatchet, think about our people whom they are serving and give peace a chance,” the statement reads.
The face-off between Fayose and the 19 Ekiti APC lawmakers started when he was issued an impeachment notice by the APC lawmakers over alleged gross misconduct relating to the performance of his official functions.
The governor had reportedly charged PDP members, drivers, commercial motorcyclists (okada), market women and other interest groups to rise and defend the mandate they gave him at last year’s election.
No comments:
Post a Comment