PDP raises alarm over rumoured APC plot to impeach Ekiti Governor

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised an alarm over an alleged plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to impeach Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose.

In a statement signed by the party's National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Thursday, July 26, 2018, the PDP warned the APC to stop its "nefarious plot" to impeach Fayose, with the help of the Nigeria Police Force, or attract dire consequences.

The warning comes hours after armed policemen allegedly invaded the Ekiti State House of Assembly complex on Wednesday, July 25, on the order of the Commissioner of Police, Bello Ahmed, who claimed he received a letter from the Clerk of the House, Tola Esan, purportedly seeking security deployment to the premises of the House.

The Clerk has written to the Commissioner to claim he never wrote such a letter, especially since the House is on recess till October 8.

The opposition party has alleged that the move is a plot to conduct the illegal impeachment of Governor Fayose who is approaching the end of his second term in October.

In PDP's Thursday statement, Ologbondiyan said the impeachment plot is a recipe for crisis in the peaceful state. He alleged that the plot is a desperate bid to rush into the Ekiti Government House to remove and tamper with documents and evidence confirming the rigging of the July 14 governorship election, ahead of the sitting of the election tribunal.

He said, "Having realized that there is no way their daylight robbery at the poll can stand in the court, the APC is now employing all desperate means to subvert the course of Justice.

"This explains why a detachment of the Police can be hurriedly deployed to besiege the Ekiti State Assembly Complex last night without a formal request by the Speaker, the Clerk or the Sergeant-at-Arms, who is the chief security officer of the complex.

"The PDP states that any resort to underhand measures to impeach Fayose, without the constitutionally required 2/3 of the members of the House, particularly at this time, when the lawmakers are currently on their annual recess, will surely be resisted by our members."

He further accused the APC of plotting crisis all over the country and resorting to the use of harassment, intimidation and brute force against the people and Nigeria's democratic institutions.

The PDP warned that the actions of the APC and the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government portend grave danger for the country.

The party also directed the APC to withdraw the armed security officers from the premises of the House of Assembly complex.

"Finally, the PDP urges the judiciary to be firm in standing by the truth on the Ekiti election and not be cowed or intimidated by the threats and pressure coming from the APC.

"Nigerians know the truth regarding the rigging of the Ekiti guber election by the APC and are now looking up to the judiciary for justice in the matter," the statement read.

Controversial Ekiti election

Dr Kayode Fayemi of the APC defeated the PDP candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, aka Eleka, in the July 14 gubernatorial election as he won 197,459 votes to his opponent's 178,121 votes.

Fayose has attacked Fayemi and Buhari over the conduct of the state's election which he alleged was marred by violence and illegal vote-buying.

Prof Olusola is challenging Fayemi's victory as was announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and is waiting to file a petition at the election tribunal.

On October 16, Fayemi will take over from Fayose, who defeated him in the 2014 gubernatorial election after his first stint as governor between 2010 and 2014.