Posted by From LUCKY NWANKWERE, Abuja on
President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday extended the emergency rule he declared in Ekiti State till May 29, 2007, blaming it on the violence and mayhem which characterised the governorship and state house of assembly elections in the state last Saturday.
President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday extended the emergency rule he declared in Ekiti State till May 29, 2007, blaming it on the violence and mayhem which characterised the governorship and state house of assembly elections in the state last Saturday.
In a nationwide broadcast last night, he justified the latest action, pointing out the need to arrest the situation in order to forestall it from snowballing into a complete state of anarchy and lawlessness capable of spreading into neighbouring states.
He said while the last election was peaceful in some states, it was not so in Ekiti State where he claimed the ensuing violence and mayhem were allegedly instigated by impeached Governor Ayo Fayose and some 'disgruntle elements" bent on destroying the state.
'The situation in Ekiti State , which has severely tasked law enforcement agents, is still smouldering and if not resolutely checked now, could snowball into a complete state of anarchy and lawlessness that could spread to neighbouring states. Given the threat which this unacceptable situation presents to our democratic consolidation process and our collective will as a nation, this state of affairs cannot be allowed to persist.
'In view of the gravity of the situation, therefore, and by virtue of Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I hereby declare a State of Emergency in Ekiti State. This declaration has been published in a Federal Gazette as of today," he stated.
He announced that Brigadier General Tunji Olurin (Rtd), who has been the administrator of the state in the last six months, had been renominated to continue to govern Ekiti State until May 29, adding that the Federal Gazette containing the declaration had been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.