WOLE BALOGUN, Ado Ekiti
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Ekiti State chapter, has alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government of Kayode Fayemi, is plotting to frustrate its presidential, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar by depriving the party the venue it requested to hold a rally on January 14 ahead of the February 16 election.
Ekiti State PDP state Chairman, Mr. Gboyega Oguntuase, while speaking with newsmen on Wednesday in Ado Ekiti, said Governor Fayemi’s alleged refusal to release the Oluyemi Kayode stadium in Ado Ekiti, and attempt to frustrate PDP campaign amount to politics of bitterness carried too far.
Oguntuase said the action had again attested to the widespread fear by the opposition party that the APC was desperate to rig the poll and subvert the will of the people in the 2019 elections.
The government had in its reply dated January 8, 2019, signed by the Director, Administration and Supplies, Ekiti State Sports Council, on behalf of the General Manager, Mr. Akinola P.A. held that the stadium was under reconstruction and that it has to be prevented from vehicular movement at this time.
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“I have been directed to refer to your letter received on January 2, requesting the use of Oluyemi Kayode stadium for your presidential campaign.
“However, there was a need to let you know that the stadium is under repair in preparation for the next football season and wetting. The tracks need to be prevented from vehicular movement and for this reason, we decline the use of this facility.”
But Fayemi described the allegation as misdirected and spurious, saying that the civil servants only replied to the letter based on the prevailing situation and that he never influenced their opinions in the matter as a governor who believes in due process in the civil service.
Fayemi, who reacted through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications, Segun Dipe said: “When we came on board, virtually all the facilities were in a state of disrepair. The Ikogosi warm spring, the fountain hotel and this stadium are parts of them.
“As a responsible government, we must take steps to put them back to normal shape and Fayemi won’t take any step that would infringe on the right of anyone as a Democrat. Even, the PDP didn’t request for the facility through the governor and it was wrong for them to have blamed him in the first instance,” he stated.
The PDP chairman said it was wrong for the government to have waited this long before replying to the letter, saying this further corroborated the party’s fear that the APC was out to truncate the rally.
It would be quite hard to go along with the decision of Ekiti state government to deny the PDP the use of the stadium. This action is consistent with the ugly practie of refusing the use of government facilities by opposition. Okorocha, did it, Emmanuel was doing it and now Ekiti. The excuse given is hardly tenable. The attitude of the government smacks of high level of intolerance, immaturity and poor civility. Let us wait whether the venue would be denied to the APC when it moves to ekiti.