Banks in Ado Ekiti were again shut
on Friday as organised labour took
over the streets to protest against
plot to impeach Governor Ayodele
Fayose by the 19 All Progressives
Congress lawmakers of the Ekiti
State House of Assembly.
The labour unions comprising the
Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade
Union Congress and Joint
Negotiating Council had on
Thursday declared Friday as a work-
free day for workers in the state’s
civil service to pray for peace in
Ekiti. They also declared a six-hour
lockdown for public transportation
in the state.
But the APC said no matter the
number of labour unions engaged
to embark on spurious solidarity
rallies and blockade of Ekiti roads; it
would not stop the lawmakers from
performing their constitutional
duties as affirmed by the courts.
Commercial vehicles and
motorcycles were off the roads
between 6.00 am and 12 noon on
Friday while private car owners had
a hectic time on the roads.
Workers in the state civil service
adhered strictly to the stay-at-
home order issued to them on
Thursday as the secretariat was
under lock and key when our
correspondent visited the place.
Union members mounted
roadblocks to ensure strict
compliance with the restriction
order on Basiri- Fajuyi-Old Garage-
Ajilosun road, and the bank road
leading to the state’s secretariat
and Assembly complex.
The NLC Secretary in the State, Mr.
Ade Obatoye, told journalists that
the move to impeach Fayose had
triggered restiveness in the state.
He urged the lawmakers to allow
the people to enjoy the mandate
freely given to the governor.
He said, “Though, we agree with
Hon. Adewale Omirin that he has
the right to fight for his right, but
he must wait for the outcome of
the suit he instituted against his
impeachment. He cannot because
of this plunge Ekiti into crisis
because he stands impeached until
the court rules otherwise.
“The people of Ekiti did not only
vote for Fayose, but the Supreme
Court, the highest court in the land
had also revalidated it. We appeal
to the APC to wait for four years
when there will be chance to elect
another governor and if they can
appeal to our people, they can get
it back, but not the way they are
presently doing.”
Obatoye added, “In an atmosphere
of unrest just as we are witnessing
now, the citizens will bear the
brunt. The will of the people must
be allowed to prevail. The loser of
an election must allow the winner
to enjoy it.
“We beg the lawmakers to allow
Fayose to settle for work so that the
people can enjoy the dividends of
democracy in the areas of
infrastructure development. The
loser of the Lagos governorship
election, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, has
congratulated Mr. Akin Ambode and
this is what we envisaged for Ekiti.
“If actually Omirin and his people
knew they were popular, they
would not have run away from the
state because the people will be
ready to defend them. Our advice
to them is to embrace peace
because we are going to resist any
attempt to impeach Fayose.”
Reacting to the blockade of roads
leading into Ado-Ekiti by the
supporters of the governor, the APC
state Publicity Secretary, Taiwo
Olatubosun, said in a statement
that the governor ordered the
blockade of the entry points to
prevent the APC lawmakers from
accessing the Assembly to carry out
their legislative duties.
“In this latest show of shame
arising from his apprehension
about Thursday’s Abuja Federal
High Court’s refusal to grant his
application to stop the 19 APC
lawmakers from impeaching him,
he employed the services of the
drivers union to cause untold
hardship to Ekiti people who were
prevented from going about their
lawful duties.
“We have now realised that the
two-day public holiday he declared
in the state for peace is to actualise
this evil plan. We have also realised
that the man that is supposed to be
the state chief security officer is the
state chief security risk.
“It is so bad that the dead was not
spared from this barbaric act as a
casket conveying a dead body was
forced open by Fayose’s thugs
because they suspected it could be
Speaker Adewale Omirin who was
about to be smuggled into the
Assembly.
“A man who claims to be popular
does not need to employ the
services of thugs and the coercion
of all labour unions into embarking
on a solidarity rally to prove that he
is popular.”
by ROTMANLUV 2023-07-08, 17:34
