Another lawmaker escapes assassination in Ekiti

The representative of Ado-Ekiti constituency 1 in the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Mr. David Taiwo, of the opposition Action Congress, on Saturday night escaped the assassins’ bullets.

Taiwo’s residence in the Adehun area of the Ekiti State capital was invaded by hired killers but he managed to escape being shot.

The matter was immediately reported to the police with the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti Command, Mr. Chris Ola, assuring that thorough investigations would be carried out.

Penultimate Saturday, the Ado-Ekiti residence of another AC lawmaker, Mr. Abiola Olowokere, representing the Ekiti South-West constituency 2, was invaded by assassins, but he was not at home.

Also on January 20, the AC Leader in the House, Mr. Funminiyi Afuye, said hired killers were after him and other opposition party lawmakers and leaders.

The Deputy Speaker of the Ekiti House of Assembly, Mr. Saliu Adeoti, also of the AC, while addressing a news conference in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday, said there were plans to assassinate the opposition lawmakers, especially the vocal ones.

Adeoti said that the people of the state would no longer accept the police’s robbery theory in case of any attack on the opposition politicians by assassins.

The Ekiti AC, in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Yemi Adaramodu, in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday, warned against further attacks on its lawmakers.

The party also called on the law enforcement agencies to arrest the state’s descent to anarchy.

The AC said, ”Ekiti is fast becoming a Golgotha, where perceived opposition persons are marked for crucifixion. Three AC legislators have just played host to suspected assassins, who demanded nothing, but their precious lives.

”Messrs Afuye, Olowokere, Taiwo and their families have bitter stories to tell on their encounters with these devilish roughnecks, who have been paid to exterminate them as political ransoms to appease the oracles of do-or-die politics.

”We have raised the alarm earlier that the AC leaders are endangered, but our cries have deliberately not been heard by the concerned agencies.”

The party added that in spite of the alleged takeover of the polity by hired killers and robbers, it would not abandon its responsibilities.

Meanwhile, Adeoti has described his January 20, 2009 arraignment in absentia for alleged illegal possession of firearm as state persecution and a frame-up.

He said that his gun’s licence was genuine and valid till date as earlier confirmed by the commissioner of police and the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Mike Akindipe.

Adeoti, while addressing a news conference in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday, said that he would be intimidated by the machinations of his enemies.