Senators disagree over Ekiti poll

Reactions trailing the outcome of the gubernatorial election in Ekiti State, lost by the incumbent, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, of the All Progressives Congress to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ayo Fayose, resonated in the Senate as senators expressed divergent views over the conduct and outcome of the election.
Speaking on the conduct and outcome of the election, the Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume, told reporters that the election was highly militarized and commercialized and cannot be said to be free and fair and its outcome credible, while the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission, Senator Andy Uba, said the election was transparently and successfully conducted by INEC.
Akume said: “Yes, the Ekiti election has come and gone but the highly militarized and commercialized process of the election, which must have in one way or the other affected its results substantially, cannot just be waved aside in spite of the fact that the governor of the state, a democrat to the core and product of our great party, Kayode Fayemi, has accepted the result by congratulating the winner, Ayodele Fayose.
“Questions such as: why were APC governors prevented from entering Ado Ekiti two days to the election for the party’s mega rally to shore up support for Fayemi? Why were the same soldiers or police arresting APC leaders across the 16 local governments of the state on the day of election without corresponding arrest of leaders of PDP, etc must be asked before jumping to conclusion that the election was substantially credible
“However, as bad as the election process may be, credit needs to be given to Governor Fayemi of our great party, who has no doubt set a good precedence for all other political players in the country on electoral contests and their outcomes.
“Fayemi has no doubt proven that in APC, there are democrats indeed, who are always ready to put the interest of the country first in whatever circumstances they find themselves.”
But Uba, in a statement issued on Tuesday, commended the successful conduct of the gubernatorial election, which he described as very credible.
Uba, in the statement, titled: “Ekiti election, a landmark exercise,” said peace and stability, which are integral component of meaningful development in any society, were exemplified in the Ekiti State election by INEC.
He said INEC, in his opinion, surpassed its previous efforts in conducting elections by putting right all that it was critiqued against previously to the point of Nigerians from all walks of life, applauding it for a work well done.
On the alleged militarization of the electoral process, Uba saluted President Goodluck Jonathan for providing adequate security manpower and logistics for the smooth conduct of the election.
“I salute the effort of Mr. President who graciously provided adequate security manpower and logistics to ensure that no life was lost, thereby giving the Ekiti voters adequate confidence in coming out to vote,” he said.
Uba therefore urged the Federal Government and INEC to use the Ekiti State election as a litmus test for the 2015 general election.
His words: “I also wish to urge INEC and the Federal Government to use this very election as a litmus test towards the conduct of the 2015 election, by making sure that all that is required for a peaceful, free, fair and credible election is achieved.”