The faceoff between the Ekiti State Government and the Nigeria Police took a twist on Wednesday over the alleged withdrawal of security aides to Governor Ayodele Fayose.
While the governor’s spokesman, Lere Olayinka, laments that the security operatives working in the Ekiti State Government House have been withdrawn since Wednesday last week, the police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, insists that the aides have not been withdrawn.
“As at yesterday, the governor’s security aides are not available. They were withdrawn since last week Wednesday,” he said. “As at last night that I went to sleep, we had less than six security men in the entire Government House.”
During a phone interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Olayinka decried the alleged invasion of the Government House by security operatives on Sunday morning.
He added, “On Sunday morning, a day after the (Ekiti State Governorship) election, the Government House was also invaded by security men – soldiers, mobile policemen etc. And they sealed up everywhere. I have photographs that we have sent online showing soldiers in front of the Government House.”
But reacting, Jimoh denied the allegations of the police authorities withdrawing Governor Fayose’s security details.
He said: “What I can say is that all the assertions by the last speaker (Olayinka) and the governor himself is not correct. The Government House in Ekiti State has more than 100 police personnel.”
The Force spokesman, who also is a Deputy Commissioner of Police, said that the governor would not be deprived of his rights.
He added, “The governor is entitled to a right to life and all the rights that every Nigerian is entitled to. We have a full unit of 63 mobile men that are attached to the Government House. And we have the Explosive Ordinance Department (the Special Protection Unit), the ADCs and the CSO.
Reacting to claims that the Government House was sealed up on Sunday morning, Jimoh wondered how the governor gained access after the election.
“If the governor is saying that the Government House was sealed up, then how did he enter yesterday in the morning?” he asked.
The Force Spokesman also appealed to the governor not to mislead Nigerians with a contrary statement as the police would not expose Fayose to any form of threat.
