Transport Unions in Ekiti State including the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) on Tuesday raised the alarm alleging that Security Agencies are harassing in respect of the forthcoming Ekiti Governorship election.
The Unions, through Comrade Clement Adekola of NURTW and Comrade Rotimi Agbede of RTEAN, said while briefing newsmen in Abuja that their men have come under severe harassment by men of the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to them, four of their members were summoned to a meeting by the Director of DSS in Ado Ekiti on Monday, adding that officials of the Department of State Service (DSS) have “been harassing and coercing them to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Dr Kayode Fayemi.”
The NURTW and RTEAN Also said that besides the duo of Adekola and Agbede, others who have been invited by the DSS include Diya Ajayi, Lawrence Ologunja, Ayo Ajetomobi and Ojo Ojemba.
The unions further alleged that their findings have revealed that the purpose of their invitation to the DSS, said “message from above” was aimed at getting them to back off their support for the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof Kolapo Olusola, and switch support to the APC candidate.
The Unions, however, insisted that they would remain committed to the PDP candidate, Prof Olusola Eleka.
They said: “Governor Ayodele Fayose has done so much for the State and our unions, we must pay him back by supporting his party’s candidate.
“Most importantly, the APC candidate was responsible for crisis in the drivers unions when he was governor. It was during his tenure that one of our foremost leaders, Chief Omolafe Aderiye was murdered in cold blood and we do not want a return of bloody clashes among our members which was common when Fayemi was governor.”
They also called on the security agencies to maintain neutrality before, during and after the July 14 governorship election, adding that the people of Ekiti must be allowed to cast their votes freely.
The Unions said: “Ekiti people must be allowed to choose their governor in a free, fair and credible election. Anything other than that will be inviting chaos into the State and students of politics in Nigeria can still remember what happened in 1983 when those controlling power at the center tried to force a governor on Ondo State. We are sure no one wants a repeat of such.
“We are therefore calling on all well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on security agencies to avoid being used to subvert the will of Ekiti people and put democracy at risk, bearing in mind that the Ekiti State election will serve as a prelude to what to expect in 2019.”
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