Govt House invaded, Fayose tells Ewi

•We want peace in Ekiti, says Ewi

Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose appeared in public yesterday for the first time since his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, lost last Saturday’s governorship election.

Olusola, who contested as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, was defeated by Dr. Kayode Fayemi, of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Fayose spoke at the palace of the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe.

The governor said he and his supporters were still being persecuted by the Federal Government after losing the election.

He said: “I have come to officially tell you, sir, as the Paramount Ruler of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, that the Government House was invaded by the police.

“Over 400 of our members are being detained as we speak. After the poll on Saturday, my wife was prevented from entering the Government House for about 45 minutes.

“Since last Wednesday, security agents have laid siege to the Government House, and they were subjecting people to untold hardship, coming in or going out.

“The poll has come and gone, irrespective of what we went through. The constitution says I am still the governor till October 16 this year.

“Our state’s radio and television stations have been shut down. And there has been no means of getting across to our people.

“It was only this morning (yesterday) that security agents at the entrance to the Government House were withdrawn. If we have been robbed, I still have a right to life and my family has a right to life too.

“The man who won has three units of the police protecting him. All my security men have been withdrawn since last Wednesday. I am only left with just a few.

“Harassing me is not in the interest of democracy. People must intervene before things go out of hand. I don’t know why we should be in this situation in 2018.”

The Ewi sympathised with Fayose and promised that the traditional rulers would intervene and make representations to appropriate authorities.

Oba Adejugbe said: “As if we knew, monarchs arranged many meetings before the election and pleaded with everybody that before, during and after the poll, we don’t want any trouble.

“We said then that whoever wins, there should be no problem. The way I see you, I know something is happening. You rarely wear this type of dress to the palace.”