EKITI ACN MEMBERS PROTEST OVER IMPOSITION OF CANDIDATES by Lere Olayinka	He expressed surprise that the Governor who was greatly assisted by members for over three years to secure his stolen mandate could turn out to be the one who would be using same position to take other people’s mandates.
Hundreds of aggrieved members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Ekiti State today trooped to the streets in protest against the State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi over alleged imposition of persons, who did not win the recently conducted primaries election.
The protesters, comprising men, women and youths who are members of the party began their action as early as 9:30 am at the ever-busy Okeyinmi round-about in Ado-Ekiti where they first assembled before distributing themselves to all the four corners of the State capital. They marched with several placards, carrying various inscriptions through the major roads of Okesa to Fajuyi before they were halted at the main entrance of the Governor’s office by armed Policemen, who fire tear gas canisters into the air. The protesters carried inscriptions such as “ACN democracy for injustice”, “No to imposition of candidates by Governor Kayode Fayemi”, “Let the peoples votes count in ACN”, Fayemi, beware of the consequences of your action”; “ACN is known for practical democratic norms, this latest action is undemocratic”; “Fayemi, allow ACN leadership to announce our original results now or never”; “Fayemi speak now, Imposition will affect our fortunes”; “Bisi Akande, intervene before it is too late”, among others. It should be recalled that Governor Fayemi had on several occasions denied having a hand in the imposition saga through his Special Adviser on Media, Alhaji Mojeed Jamiu, but the action and language employed by the protesters did not in any way show they ever believed the Governor’s explanation. At about 11:00am, the protesters had already seized the dual carriage way leading to the office of the Governor with placards and preventing vehicles to move in or out. The heavy presence of fully-armed men of the mobile policemen who were later deployed to the scene could not deter the irate members who refused to vacate the Governors entry gate for about an hour. Spokesman for the aggrieved members who doubles as Chairman, Integrity Group of ACN in the State, Comrade Adedipe Isiaka said information at their disposal had revealed that it was the Governor who imposed his friends and cronies as favoured candidates, over and above those who actually won in both Senatorial and Assembly primaries. He expressed surprise that the Governor who was greatly assisted by members for over three years to secure his stolen mandate could turn out to be the one who would be using same position to take other people’s mandates. Isiaka warned of the grave consequences of allowing such an illegality to stand, saying there is no how either party members or electorates would want to queue behind an unpopular candidate imposed on them without their consent. All efforts to get Chairman of the party in the State, Chief Jide Awe or any of his officers to react to the development either on phone or in office were unsuccessful as their whereabouts remained unknown. Reacting to the protest, Mr. Wale Ojo-Lanre, Chief Media Aide to former Governor, Chief Segun Oni saud; "That the ACN demonstrated against Fayemi is a testimony that the judicial victory is not only a pyhric victory but a government that cannot stand the test of time. "The totality of ACN is evil. It was planted on falsehood, deceit, dictatorship, violence, and disregard to due process worship of the devil. "It is ominous and pointer to the fact that ACN is evil that is why members of a party in power will come out to demonstrate against its government the way the ACN members have done today. "It is even more worrisome that Fayemi could send policemen to tear gas members of his own party! "This strange situation never occurred when Chief Segun Oni was in the saddle. "ACN came on board through propaganda, forgery, deception, crookedness, which characterized the conduct of the party primary and the aftermath violence. "However, something is clear; you can deceive people for sometime but not all the time. Lie has a short shelves’ span, truth reigns forever."

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