Militia groups in Ekiti State have volunteered to provide security for the campaign of the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Segun Oni.
The offer was in response to an attack carried out by political thugs on his campaign rally last Wednesday in Efon Alaaye, in Efon Local Government Area.
The attackers injured several persons and damaged vehicles belonging to SDP supporters during the incident.
Although Mr Oni was not at the venue of the rally when the hoodlums unleashed mayhem, he had since petitioned the security apparatus on the country, alleging an attempt on his life.
The militia groups who are willing to provide men and equipment to protect the SDP candidate include the O’odua People’s Congress(OPC), Agbekoya, and the Vigilance Group of Nigeria.
The groups warned those planning further violence to desist or face the consequences.
Leading the coalition, a former Ekiti State Chairman of OPC, Femi Bade-Gboyega, said on Sunday in Ado Ekiti that the coalition had resolved to protect Mr Oni and SDP members throughout the campaign, to complement what the state’s security actors would provide.
According to him, the coalition, with membership drawn from OPC, VGN, Agbekoya, and many other organisations, was saddened by the attack on the campaign convoy of Mr Oni last Wednesday.
He condemned what he called an “assassination attempt” on Mr Oni’s life, saying, “Ekiti people are behind Oni and it is he they want as their governor.”
“Oni is God sent to free Ekiti people from the dungeon of slavery, abject poverty, and backwardness, which the present and immediate past administrations had put them into.
We condemn the attack in totality. It was uncalled for. It was one of Nigeria’s bad political cultures and every reasonable Nigerian is agitating for its abrogation. It is a political setback to still witness such things in this modern age.
“It is an act capable of causing a breach of the peace in Ekiti. I am likening it to drawing a battle line of the war in a democratic setting. The culprits should understand that no one is having a monopoly on violence, also no man is an island.
“The parties and everybody should realise that there is no army larger than the people’s army, and when they resolve to change a bad government, nobody or military equipment can stand in their way”.
The Segun Oni Campaign Organisation, has, however, said the idea did not emanate from the organisation but was an offer made by the groups.
The Director of Publicity of the organisation, Jackson Adebayo, told PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday that despite the situation, they welcomed the offer, provided it was for the good of the campaign and the people of Ekiti State.
“We will accept any offer that is for the good of the state and the people,” said Mr Adebayo. “We accept every idea from the people so long as it will help the project.
“They are providing the security free of charge and they have said they are part of the Ekiti Project. That is something we encourage.”
The Aare Ona Kakanfo, Gani Adams, who also is the leader of the OPC, had last year declared that the leaders of the South-West had commissioned the OPC, Agbekoya, and Hunters to secure the south-west region.
The regional governors have established the Security Network known as Amotekun, which is already at work in the respective states.