The former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, of plotting to field Candidates in the 2019 general elections, in Zamfara State.
According to Fayose, the Federal Government is planning to use the security problems in the State, to impose an emergency rule.
Recall, that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has since declared that it will not accept lists of Candidates from the Zamfara State APC for the 2019 polls, because the party violated INEC’s laws in the conduct of its primaries.
Fayose alleged that the ultimate goal of the planned emergency rule, is to pave the way for a fresh electoral process in the State, to enable the APC field Candidates for the elections.
In a statement on Tuesday, the former Governor, who is the South-West Coordinator of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council, said: “With emergency rule, there will only be the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the State, in February, next year, while Governorship and State House of Assembly elections will be postponed till May.
“Using the killings (in the State) to achieve political goals, is not only wicked, but inhuman.”
He urged the Federal Government “to admit its failure, and apologise to the people of Zamfara State, who are left at the mercy of armed bandits.”
Fayose added: “Zamfara State Governor, Abdul-aziz Abubakar, should return home and stand up for his people, instead of staying away and acting political correctness, while his people are being killed.
“The Federal Government must be reminded that under the PDP government of Dr Goodluck Jonathan, emergency rule was declared in three States in the North-East, without dismantling democratic Institutions.”
However, the Federal Government has said that it will not respond to the allegations made by Fayose.
It said that the former Governor was merely looking for recognition.
A source close to the government, said that there was no way the Federal Government would encourage killings, just to score cheap political points.
The source said: “How can we be exchanging words with someone like Fayose? What he wants is recognition. We have decided not to engage him on anything.
“Fayose is down, and you know that he that is down can drag anyone to his level. So, let us leave him to his imaginations.”
Also, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said that the Electoral body would not respond to the allegations made by Fayose, because it was before the court.
He said: “The Independent National Electoral Commission does not take issues with Politicians, over purely statutory matters. I will also not want to be dragged into the Zamfara issue, because doing so will be subjudice, since it is before a court of law.
“Nigerians are familiar with the Commission’s action on the Zamfara issue, and what led to it. It will therefore, be unwise to react to a purely speculative statement made by an individual on such a serious matter.”
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