The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has reiterated its call on the State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi to pay attention to the invasion of the State by armed bandits, saying “it appears that the governor has an accord with the bandits who are daily, killing and Kidnapping the people, especially in roads leading to his hometown, Isan Ekiti.”
The party, in its reaction to the killing of one person and abduction of five people along Ewu Ekiti and Aiyetoro Ekiti yesterday, said it was disturbing that in a State being governed by a supposed holder of PhD in War Studies, bandits have taken over everywhere.
According to a statement on Saturday, by the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Raphael Adeyanju, the party said “time has come for stakeholders in the State to confront Governor Fayemi and ask him whether or not he has understanding with these marauding bandits not to touch them.”
The PDP described as unexplainable, a situation where a particular road has become like a permanent operational base for kidnappers and nothing has been done by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governments both in Abuja and Ado Ekiti.
It was on that same road that a Commissioner in Governor Fayemi’s government, Olabode Folorunso and a woman were abducted and a councillor in Ilejemeje Local Government killed in April, last year. On this same road, the traditional ruler of Ewu-Ekiti, Oba Adetutu Ajayi, was shot by bandits on April 10, 2021.
Also on June 10, 2021, two hotel workers in Ayetoro-Ekiti were kidnapped while the hotel’s security guard was inflicted with machete cuts.
This week too, a former Chairman of the National Union of Roads Transport Workers, Clement Adekola was attacked by Fulani kidnappers along Ikere Ekiti – Igbara-Odo road. He escaped narrowly, with his vehicle riddled with bullets.
The PDP lamented that it was worrisome that Ekiti State that was adjudged as the most peaceful State in the Southwest when the party was in power has now turned to haven of bandits and political thugs.
The PDP spokesman said; “Rather than jumping from one State to the other to commission projects executed by his fellow governors, why can’t Governor Fayemi face governance in Ekiti and make the State safe for residents and visitors?
“Is the governor waiting for Ekiti State to become another Kaduna or Katsina State before he will perform his major function as a governor by seeing to the safety of the people? Or is his 2023 presidential ambition more important than the lives of Ekiti people?” He asked.
