Ekiti Election: Fayose Says PDP Will Laugh Last

Condemns Buhari for using security agents to rig election
Fayemi carrying a stolen mandate, says main opposition party
Iyobosa Uwugiaren in Abuja and Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

Apparently recovering from the shock of the Saturday’s defeat of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the Ekiti State governorship election, Governor Peter Ayodele Fayose yesterday, condemned President Muhammadu Buhari for allegedly using the security agents to rig the election in favour of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and declared that the PDP would laugh last.

Also, the state chapter of the PDP has said the mandate given to the candidate of the APC, Dr. Kayode Fayemi in the state governorship election was a product of ‘poll robbery’.

‘’The president should bury his head in shame for using the police, army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to snatch the mandate given to Olusola (PDP candidate) and deliver it to Fayemi (APC candidate) whom Ekiti people rejected”, the out-going governor stated for the first time, since the election on Saturday.

In several tweets in his tweeter handle on yesterday: @GovAyoFayose, he added, “On this Ekiti election, President Buhari demonstrated truly that he is not a democrat, but a dictator and fascist per excellence. The President should note what the Bible says which applies to him: He that wears the armour should not boast as he that removes it.”

Governor Fayose said he held his head high and would never be suppressed, saying he does no’t lose battles, adding that he would not lose the current one, and that by the power of God, he would laugh last.
Apparently responding to the presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu’s recent media statement on the election, the governor filed back at him, saying ‘’He (Shehu) was in the presidency courtesy of Atiku Abubakar for eight years and came back for this current dispensation still courtesy Abubakar. Now, he has abandoned the person who brought him to the limelight.’’

‘’As for me, I am Peter Ayodele Fayose, I hold with my head high. I can never be suppressed. I don’t lose battles and I will not lose this. By the power of God, I will laugh last. If APC truly he won, why was it that there was no jubilation in Ekiti ? That victory of Kayode Fayemi is pyrrhic; we will reclaim the stolen mandate in the court, by the power of God.’’

The state chapter of the PDP has also assured that it would deploy every constitutional means to retrieve what he called a ‘ stolen mandate’ from Fayemi, disclosing that the party would challenge the election in court.
PDP added that it was not embarrassed by the congratulatory message sent by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to Fayemi on his victory, saying that was what was expected from an elder statesman.

“We are not embarrassed and we can’t join issue with Chief Obasanjo on that. When a young man became successful, the elders will congratulate him. But the former president will soon change when herealises that Fayemi actually stole the victory”, it said.
Addressing journalists in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, yesterday, on the outcome of the election, the party’s state Chairman, Mr. Gboyega Oguntuase, accused the INEC and the security agencies of conspiring to subvert the will of the electorate.
Oguntuase said over 20 members of the party, including the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Dipo Anisulowo and four of his aides, among others, were arrested by the combined forces of military and paramilitary security outfits and clamped into detention on the day of the election.
He described the governorship poll as an embarrassment to democrats across the globe, saying the APC governors spent huge amount that could have been used to develop their states.

He said: “What did they need 30,000 police officers for in Ekiti State when criminals were killing Nigerians in other states? Ekiti people knew they were in our state for a task and not to protect their votes and that was why there was no jubilation or ceremony anywhere in the state after the election. This election was far from being free, fair and credible. In Ilejemeje, Ilawe, Ikole, Ise/Orun , Oye , Ado and other major towns in Ekiti , many of our people were beaten by APC thugs being aided by the security men.

“As we speak, the results declared by INEC to give victory to Fayemi was more than the number of accredited voters. So, where did they get the additional votes they added,” he queried. “We are going to use every constitutional means to retrieve this stolen mandate, it is just a matter of time.
“APC mobilised over N11 billion to buy votes in Ekiti. They came here to perpetrate electoral perfidy and such will not stand”, he stated.
Oguntuase stated that the federal government deliberately delayed June allocation to Ekiti to create the impression that Fayose was owing salaries and to sway votes for APC.