From ADEWOLE KEHINDE, Ado-Ekiti
The Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Funminiyi Afuye has, in what appeared like a reaction to the tragic development, condemned the shooting that occurred in Ikere Ekiti during today’s Local Government polls resulting in killing of someone in the Constituency 1 of the town.
PDP members and Special Adviser to former Governor of the state, Seun Olusola had alleged that the Speaker led a team of suspected political thugs to a polling booth at AUD Araromi area of Ikere, who allegedly shot at four members of PDP, killing one when the people allegedly resisted their attempt to allegedly stuff the ballot boxes with already thumb printed ballot papers.
When called to react to the allegation, Afuye neither denied nor affirm it but promised to send his press release.
The Speaker about two hours later spoke through his Special Adviser on Media, Akogun Tai Oguntayo, stating that the election was peaceful in Ikere, his hometown, before some suspected cultists stormed some polling units to disrupt the election process.
The Speaker’s aide said: “The speaker who was saddened by the death of a yet- to- be- identified citizen, described as unfortunate the killing “because no election is worth the blood of anyone”.
” Afuye sympathized with the family of the deceased and called for peace to reign in the community among the members of the political parties in order to allow security agents investigate the matter.
Speaking further on the incident, he said, “information that reached me during the election as I was also in Ikere Ekiti, was that some suspected cultists stormed polling units to disrupt the process. We condemn this act of thuggery and vandalism in its entirety”. He therefore admonished citizens to maintain their peace while justice is done by the law enforcement agents.