Ekiti 2014 news...

Police arrest OPC leader, others for shooting at Fayose’s campaign office •To arraign them in court
By Sam Nwaoko-Ado Ekiti
The police in Ekiti State have paraded four persons they arrested for allegedly leading the attack visited on the campaign secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, recently in the state captal.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Felix Uyanna, paraded the suspects before newsmen in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday and gave the names of the suspects as Mr Apolola Richard (also known as Sikira); Mr Ayodele Owoju, Adeniyi Adedipe (commonly known as Apase)
, who is also the leader of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) in the state.
Uyanna said another suspect in the attack, Seun (a.k.a.Solar) was on the run while also explaining that yet another suspect, Mr Deji Adesokan, was arrested by the Department of State Services.
The Commissioner of Police, who paraded the suspects in his office, said they were in custody for “case of going armed, malicious damage, threatening life and attempted murder.”
He said their arrest followed “complaints of indiscriminate shooting on April 7, 2014 at about 5:00p.m at the campaign office of the PDP candidate, ex-Governor Ayo Fayose.”
According to him, during the attack, “glasses of sliding windows of the office were shattered, vehicles parked on the premises damaged by lead pellets and one Olumide Gabriel sustained injury on his head.”
He said those in police custody had “made useful statements to the police after interrogation,” and added that, “the arrested suspects will soon be charged to court.”
On the suspect, he said was at large, Uyanna said “effort is already in place to arrest Seun a.k.a Solar, who is at large and is hereby declared wanted,” and explained that “an arrest warrant has since been obtained against him from a court of competent jurisdiction.”
The Ekiti CP also said “one of the suspects by name Deji Adesokan had earlier been arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS).”
He said: “Political stakeholders/politically exposed persons are hereby reminded of the need to play by the rules as contained in the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.
“The command restates its commitment to checkmate all forms of political violence and brigandage regardless of status and political affiliation or standing of perpetrators.”
Fayemi promises Ekiti pupils free meals •Teachers for foreign training
By Sam Nwaoko-Ado Ekiti
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has promised pupils and teachers in public schools in the state free meals and foreign training respectively, as he intensified his campign for re-election in Ido-Ile, Aramoko, Erijiyan and other communities in Ekiti West Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate said while speaking in Ido-Ile on Tuesday, that there were good welfare package for them when the new school session commences in September this year.
Governor Fayemi said at Okemesi that school pupils would be getting free meals at the commencement of a new academic year in September, adding that teachers in public schools would “now have the opportunity of overseas training to further motivate them and build their capacity to perform better.”
Propaganda won’t derail me  —Fayose
By Sam Nwaoko-Ado Ekiti
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State, former Governor Ayodele Fayose, has promised that he will not be distracted by propaganda and abuses aimed at him by other political parties in the contest as they prepare for the election.
According to him, the attacks on his personality would not distract him from his focus on defeating Governor Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the June 21 election.
Fayose, who spoke in Ikere-Ekiti at a rally, expressed delight that the reconciliation with the 13 other governorship aspirants that contested the ticket with him had begun to yield fruitful results, saying the party was now better positioned and fortified to defeat the APC in the June election.
Chairman of the party in the state, Mr Makanjuola Ogundipe, who had gone incommunicado for some time, was among the numerous PDP bigwigs that attended the rally organised by one of the aspirants, Mr Bisi Omoyeni, to collapse his structure into that of Fayose.
Fayose said: “I won’t be distracted by whatever they say about me. I am committed to this course. It is like running a race, so I won’t look sideways but I will focus on where I am going.”
He praised the courage of the other aspirants for embracing peace and remaining in the party to work with him after a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, and declared that he would continue to offer leadership to all the members of the party, promising not to victimise anybody based on their political beliefs.
According to him, “by my age and experience now, I have grown more in wisdom and knowledge. So, rather than fighting anybody, I will prefer to befriend you so that I can surpass the records I left behind  in terms of infrastructure and human capital when we get to government.”
British high commission official visits Bamidele, counsels against violence, desperation
By Sam Nwaoko-Ado Ekiti
Head of Politics of the British High Commission in Nigeria, Mr Paul Edward, has paid a visit to the Labour Party candidate in the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State, Mr Opeyemi Bamidele, and charged politicians in the state to refrain from desperation and violence for a successful conduct of the election.
Edward, who was in Iyin-Ekiti home of the candidate in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state, noted that only a government constituted by the collective desire at the poll could muster the legitimacy to deliver on its electioneering promises to the people.
He said, Britain as a nation, was committed to the survival of democracy in Nigeria and across the globe, saying his visit to Ekiti was not only to ensure the success of the governorship poll, but to strengthen his country’s bi-lateral relation with Nigeria.
He said: “The international community, particularly the Britain, is interested in the growth of democracy across the globe. So, that is why I am in Ekiti State to meet with all the stakeholders on the need to embrace peace for the success of the governorship poll.
Adeyeye hails Omoyeni, others over PDP reconciliation
Afenifere chieftain and a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has commended Chief Bisi Omoyeni, Ambassador Dare Bejide and other aspirants who have agreed to work for the success of the party in the June 21, 2014 governorship election, saying, “as loyal party men, we must look beyond personal ambitions in whatever we do.”
Adeyeye, who described Omoyeni’s open declaration of support for the PDP candidate, Mr Ayodele Fayose, as a justification of the position that he (Adeyeye) took two weeks ago, added that, “I am happy that other aspirants are now seeing what I saw two weeks ago. They have now seen reasons we should support our party and I commend them.”
In a release issued on Tuesday, Adeyeye, who also advised any PDP member that was thinking about going to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to retrace his or her steps, said, “leaving PDP for APC is like moving from heaven to hell fire because APC is a combination of deceitful, manipulative and occultic politicking.”
He said, “I am a very happy man today, because I have been vindicated. I have been vindicated because other aspirants are now joining us to ensure victory for our party and its candidate, Mr Ayo Fayose.
“I, therefore, commend Chief Bisi Omoyeni and Ambassador Dare Bejide, both of whom have openly declared their readiness to remain in the PDP and work for the success of the party.
“I also wish to appeal to those who are yet to join the PDP/Fayose train to come in quickly so that we can collectively rescue Ekiti people from mis-governance, which the present APC government represents.”
Be vigilant, Fayemi charges electorate in Ekiti West communities
By Sam Nwaoko-Ado Ekiti
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State, Governor Kayode Fayemi, has urged the people of the  state and supporters of his party to be vigilant in the build-up to the election and on the election day.
Dr Fayemi, who gave the charge while campaigning in communities in Ekiti West Local Government Area of the state on Monday, reiterated the need for the people to be vigilant and protect their votes from being stolen.
The communities campaigned in by the APC standard-bearer are Ipole-Iloro, Ikogosi and Erijiyan where he expressed confidence that the various projects executed in the communities would motivate the electorate to re-elect the APC administration.
Omole canvasses votes for  Fayemi
AN aspirant to the Ekiti North II Federal Constituency, Mr Victor Sunday Omole, has called on the people of Ekiti State to vote en masse for Dr Kayode Fayemi, come June 21, 2014.
In a press statement issued from his Aiyetoro Ekiti country home, Mr Omole stated that the only way to show appreciation to the incumbent Ekiti governor was by voting him in for a second term, after his achievements in his first term.
He said Dr Fayemi’s administration had concretised the foundation of good governance which former governor of the state, Chief Niyi Adebayo laid, adding that besides the unprecedented achievements of the Fayemi administration in the area of infrastructure development, education, health, employment, social security and creation of an egalitarian society, the administration had also added value to the good governance creed which the people of Ekiti State had always yearned for.
ACPN picks Kola Bamigbade as gov candidate
The Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Ekiti State chapter, has picked Prince Peter Kola Bamigbade as its candidate for the June 21 governorship election in the state.
Members of the party from all the 16 local government areas of the state converged on the Cooperative Hall, Ijigbo, in Ado - Ekiti, for the primary election which produced Prince Bamigbade.
In his acceptance speech, the ACPN candidate expressed gratitude to God, members of the party and his supporters for the feat promising not to let them down.
Prince Bamigbade, who used the forum to dedicate his life to humanity and selfless service to Ekiti people, said that an ACPN government in Ekiti State would execute policies and programmes that would impact positively on the lives of the people.
The candidate listed the areas of focus of an ACPN government in Ekiti State to include rapid infrastructural development, affordable healthcare services, Agriculture, free and compulsory education at all levels, employment through entrepreneurial partnership among others.