Militia groups in Ekiti state have volunteered to provide security for the campaign of Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Segun Oni.
The offer was in response to an attack carried out by political thugs at his campaign rally last Wednesday in Efon Alaaye, in the Efon local government area.
The attackers injured several people and damaged vehicles belonging to SDP supporters during the incident.
Although Mr. Oni was not at the scene of the demonstration when the thugs unleashed the chaos, he had since filed a petition with the country’s security apparatus, alleging an attempt on his life.
Militia groups that are willing to provide men and equipment to protect the SDP candidate include the O’odua People’s Congress (OPC), Agbekoya and the Nigerian Watch Group.
The groups warned those planning more violence to desist or face the consequences.
Leading the coalition, a former OPC chairman in Ekiti state, Femi Bade-Gboyega, said in Ado Ekiti on Sunday that the coalition had decided to protect Oni and SDP members during the campaign, to supplement what the state security agents.
According to him, the coalition, with members of OPC, VGN, Agbekoya and many other organizations, was saddened by the attack on Mr. Oni’s campaign convoy last Wednesday.
He condemned what he called an “assassination attempt” on Oni’s life, saying: “The people of Ekiti are after Oni and it is him they want as their governor.”
“Oni is God sent to free the Ekiti people from the dungeon of slavery, abject poverty and backwardness, into which the present and immediate past administrations had placed them.
“We condemn the attack in its entirety. It was out of place. It was one of Nigeria’s bad political cultures and every reasonable Nigerian is campaigning for its repeal. It is a political setback to continue to witness such things in this modern age.
“It is an act capable of causing a breach of the peace in ekiti. I compare it to drawing a battle line of war in a democratic setting. The guilty must understand that no one has a monopoly on violence, and no man is an island.
“The parties and everyone must realize that there is no army greater than the people’s army, and when they decide to change a bad government, no one or military equipment can stand in their way.”
However, the Segun Oni Campaign Organization has said that the idea did not come from the organization but was an offer made by the groups.
The organization’s publicity director, Jackson Adebayo, told PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday that, despite the situation, they appreciated the offer, as long as 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,” Adebayo said. “We accept all people’s ideas as long as they help the project.
“They are providing the security for free and have said that they are part of the Ekiti Project. That’s something we encourage.”
The Aare Ona Kakanfo, Gani Adams, who is also the leader of the OPC, stated last year that the leaders of the Southwest had tasked the OPC, Agbekoya and Hunters to secure the Southwest region.
The regional governors have established the Security Network known as Amotekun, which is already operating in the respective states.