Ekiti State lawmakers are on the run after policemen invaded the state to arrest about eleven of them loyal to the state governor.
Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose
Drama is playing out in Ekiti State as about 11 lawmakers loyal to Governor Ayodele Fayose have escaped to safety after armed policemen invaded the state to arrest them.
The lawmakers said they can no longer sleep in their homes due to alleged persistent threats and intimidation by some policemen sent from police headquarters in Abuja.
According to Vanguard, they have temporarily fled the state apparently for fear of being arrested for some unfounded allegations by the policemen who they claimed were led by one CSP Mohammed Abubakar.
Deputy Speaker, Mr. Segun Adewunmi had earlier said that they would withstand anybody who tried to prevent them from doing their legislative duties, however, said that lawmakers had left the state.
Adewunmi said, “We assembled here and decided to leave Ekiti. As at now, the governor cannot find any member of the House of Assembly. As we are here talking, others are out of the state”.
The lawmakers who spoke with newsmen at the NUJ press centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan alleged there was a clandestine move by the All Progressives Congress led government to truncate democracy in the state.
“No amount of intimidation, arrest, detention, harassment and monetary inducement will make us dance to the tune of those whose only interest is to truncate the Fayose-led government and return to power through the backdoor.
"We have come here to alert the public about the new clandestine plot of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government to cripple the government of Ekiti State.
"Yesterday, some policemen led by one CSP Mohammed Abubakar of the Force CID, Abuja, were brought to Ekiti State by the expelled former State Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr TKO Aluko and the Ekiti State APC Chairman, Jide Awe” he said.