The Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, on Friday told politicians relying on the use of soldiers or police to win elections in the forthcoming poll that they would be disappointed.
Fayose said such is no longer fashionable in Nigeria.
The governor stated this at a programme organised by the state police command where politicians signed a peace pact in preparation for the 2015 general election.
Fayose assured the opposition parties in the state that he would not use his office to muzzle them in the coming elections, adding that he would allow the wishes of the people to prevail like it happened during the June 21, 2014 governorship election in the state.
Political parties at the meeting included the Peoples Democratic Party, All Progressives Congress, Labour Party and KOWA.
They signed the peace pact and also promised to eschew violence during the polls.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission in the state, Sam Olumekun; the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 8, Christopher Dega; and the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, Taiwo Lakanu, explained that the peace pact became imperative in order to allay the fears in some quarters that there would be violence during the forthcoming polls.
Fayose added: “Whatever connection you have with the police can’t help you in this election. The only thing that can help you is your connection with the people. My election had actually confirmed this.
“I am ready to submit myself to the law. I have no reason to muzzle anybody because whether you muzzle the opposition or not, what God will do, He will do. So, I am assuring the main opposition party, APC, that their members won’t be muzzled or victimized in the course of these elections.”
The AIG warned against political thuggery, urging politicians to play by the rules and curtail their overzealous supporters for Ekiti State to be in peace.
He added: “This efforts is to allay the fears in the state, to forestall anxiety and violence. We believe there is the need to emphasize non-violence in the course of these elections and the commitment we are extracting from you today must be protected for the state to be safe for all of us.
“The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, had advised on the need to maintain decorum and exercise utmost restraint as we hold the general elections for Ekiti and Nigeria at large to be at peace. There is need for us to play by the rules and ensure that the wishes of the electorate prevail.”
The REC said the commission had received a total of 2,253 smart card readers for the conduct of the election.
He said the smart cards would ensure that all eligible voters are scrutinized and authenticated before voting.
Olumekun added that a total of 498,598 Permanent Voter Cards had been distributed out of the 732,021 total registered voters in the state, which accounted for about 70 per cent of the voters.
He lamented that elections had consistently been marred with irregularities since 1922 when the first election was conducted in the country.
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