The 19 lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State on Thursday stayed away from the peace parley initiated by legal icon, Aare Afe Babalola, aimed at resolving the crisis between the lawmakers and the state Governor, Ayo Fayose.
The meeting, held at the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, was, however, held under very tight security.
The security team was led by the Commissioner of Police, Joshua Ebojune Ibine, and the state Director of the Department of State Services, Duke Fubara.
Elder statesmen at the meeting were the convener, Afe Babalola; Chief Deji Fasuan; Dr. Kunle Olajide; a former Minister of Information, Chief Ayo Ogunlade; and the Vice Chancellor of ABUAD, Prof. Michael Ajisafe,
Four of the seven lawmakers elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, led by the factional Speaker, Hon. Dele Olugbemi, attended the meeting.
The PDP lawmakers in attendance were Hon. Samuel Ajibola, Hon. Olowo Ajiboye and Hon. Yinka Adeloye.
Fayose led some members of his executive to the meeting.
The Omirin-led APC lawmakers had earlier said they would not attend the meeting.
They alleged an intelligence information that security operatives were under instruction from above to arrest and keep them out of circulation until after May 29.
But Ibine and Fubara denied the claim.
They said no such mandate was given to them except to ensure the safety of everybody, especially the APC lawmakers attending the meeting.
The police boss said: “The police have two main duties: One, to ensure the safety of lives and property and to ensure that laws and order are maintained.
“We have promised them to escort them to the meeting and after the meeting escort them out of the state.
“We are not under any instruction to arrest anybody.”
In his opening remarks, Babalola stressed the need for peace in the state.
He said no development could take place without peace.
He regretted the absence of the APC lawmakers after agreeing to attend the meeting and assuring them of adequate security.
Babalola said: “Ekiti is my project and I am a big shareholder in the Ekiti project.
“There cannot be development unless there is peace.
“My wish is that there is peace in Ekiti.
“As at today, I am highly disappointed that this (Ekiti crisis) is happening in Ekiti.”
All the elder statesmen at the meeting took their turn to address the gathering with a plea to all the warring factions to give peace a chance.
The elder statesmen also recalled several efforts made to resolve the crisis.
Fayose restated his earlier commitment to ensuring that peace reigns in the state.
He added: “If truly we are patriotic, we should allow the state to run as a state and allow the people to enjoy the fruit of good governance.
“This state belongs to all of us.
“Please sir (referring to Babalola) call us to order.
“You are an elder statesman and we respect you sir.”
Fayose said he was ready to shift grounds on any controversial issue to allow peace in the state inasmuch as the other side embraces peace.
He said: “I am ready to shift ground to ensure that there is peace.
“They should take it easy.
“I am prepared to work in the overall interest of this state.
“I am ready to make them happy and pay all their entitlements.”
Part of the resolutions arrived at during the meeting by all participants include appealing to the Omirin-led group to return to base and attend all peace meetings.
Security chiefs also gave undertaking that there will be no impartiality in the state and will maintain the peace at all time.
The meeting also agreed that peace will be restored by all means and that the governor is ready to shift ground if that will produce the needed peace.
Fayose said: “We must live within this meeting.
“We can’t beg them to embrace peace.”
Olugbemi said the APC lawmakers were bent on impeaching Fayose.
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