As the Ekiti Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal today delivers judgement over whether or not Governor Kayode Fayemi was duly elected, the police have issued a warning to the people of the state against any form of protest.
The police gave the warning on Sunday that they would not tolerate any unlawful protest by politicians and their followers.
According to the police spokesman in the state, DSP Caleb Ikechukwu, who spoke with journalists, they would not allow anyone to destabilise the state using the outcome of the judgement as excuse.
He warned that a special squad was already on ground to frustrate any form of destabilisation.
His words: “This squad is a Joint Task Force comprising the police and other sister agencies with about 150 men
“They are spread all over the state and being overseen by the police. So, they are on ground to stop any unlawful assembly or stop any protest that could result in violence.
“Though people are ready to hold peaceful protest but no one has written to us now to say that they would stage any protest over the judgment.
“Even if any group would stage a protest, it won’t be one that will cause riotous assembly or that can be hijacked by hoodlums.
“Again, whoever loses in the judgment still has the option of appeal, so, violence is not the best option for it won’t be tolerated.
“On our part, we are ready and we assure our people that there is no cause for alarm.’’
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate in the July 14, 2018, governorship election in Ekiti State, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, contested the victory of Fayemi at the election at the tribunal.
He claimed that the election was fraught with electoral malpractices in favour of Fayemi and therefore sought for its nullification.
Fayemi won the election with 197, 459 votes while Kolapo came second with 178,223 votes.
