Senior lawyer and human rights activist, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Usman Alkali Baba, to arrest and prosecute vote buyers in Ekiti State.
In a statement personally signed by him, Falana emphasised the need to checkmate rigging and voters inducement to protect the sanctity and integrity of Saturday’s governorship poll in Ekiti State.
The statement reads in part: “Last year, the Ekiti East 1 State Constituency by-election to fill a vacancy in the Ekiti State House of Assembly conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission on March 20, 2023 was violently disrupted by armed thugs.
“During the mayhem unleashed on law abiding voters, three people were brutally killed while four police officers were severely injured.
“INEC was compelled to suspend the by-election indefinitely over cases of violence. Up till now, the by-election has not been held for fear of another disruption by the influential thugs.
“Even though the suspects were arrested and charged before the Ekiti State High Court, the case has not been diligently prosecuted. In the recent past, the Ekiti State Government compromised the cases of notorious electoral offenders.
“Hence, thugs have taken advantage of such official impunity to attack political opponents and scare voters who are desirous to exercise their franchise in the governorship election scheduled to hold on Saturday, June 18, 2022.
“In view of the fact that the IGP, Mr. Usman Alkali Baba, has read the Riot Act to the leaders of all political parties in the state, we call on the Commissioner of Police and Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti State to ensure that the election is not disrupted by any group or individual.
“We also call on the INEC and the anti graft agencies to stop the disgraceful conduct of vote buying by arresting purchasers and their agents with a view to prosecuting them.
“Since INEC has repeatedly assured the Nigerian people that their votes will count, the members of the ruling class must not be allowed to turn democracy into plutocracy in the country”.
