Abuja based Non–Governmental Organisation, the Society for Rule of Law in Nigeria (SRLN) has called for the removal of the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sotonye Wakama, describing him as “an agent of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Dr Kayode Fayemi-led government in the State.”
The group which said Mr Wakama had over time, demonstrated his bias in support of the State government against the people of the State, added that; “he (Wakama) can no longer guarantee peace in the State because he has turned the Police in Ekiti State to an arm of Governor Fayemi’s political thugs.”
Rising from its emergency meeting today, SRLN said in a release issued by its Coordinator, Comrade Chima Ubeku that the last Thursday destruction of the launching of Bibiire Coalition in Ado-Ekiti by the police, claiming that the programme contravened Section 90 of the Electoral Act was barbaric and animalistic, asking; “Which one is criminal and deserves prompt intervention of the police between the thugs that Governor Fayemi unleashed on the people that blocked roads in Ado-Ekiti while brandishing dangerous weapons and supporters of Hon Opeyemi Bamidele that were engaged in a peaceful rally?”
SRLN said; “As at today, has Mr. Sotonye Wakama, the Governor Fayemi’s Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State arrested any of those thugs, who blocked major roads in Ado-Ekiti and were seen brandishing guns, cutlasses, knives, and other dangerous weapons?
“Instead of arresting Fayemi’s thugs led by Mr. Rotimi Olabiwonu (Mentilo), in the infinite wisdom of Mr Wakama, it was Hon. Bamidele’s supporters that contravened no law of the land that were arrested and detained.
“Presently, no fewer than 40 supporters of Hon Bamidele are being detained illegally in various police cells in Ekiti State, while those thugs who disrupted the peace of the State on Thursday are walking the street free. And what we are being told by Wakama, who must be working for the millions of naira he allegedly gets monthly from Fayemi is that it was more an offence to hold political rally than to attack innocent people on the Streets of Ado-Ekiti and prevent people from carrying out their business activities.
“Most ridiculously, this same Wakama was alive when Governor Fayemi brought musicians to Ado-Ekiti on three occasions to rally support for his second term ambition. Then, obviously because Mr. Wakama has turned the Ekiti State Police Command to an extension of Fayemi’s government, those people who moved round Ado-Ekiti with vests bearing ‘Fayemi 4 + 4 = 8’ did not contravened Section 90 of the Electoral Act!
“It is therefore our demand that Mr Wakama should be removed as the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police without further delay, because as it appears, he is collaborating with Governor Fayemi and his men to wage war against Ekiti people.
“Failure to do this is a direct invitation to anarchy in Ekiti State as the people might be pushed to such a state that they will begin to defend themselves against Governor Fayemi’s thugs and the Wakama-led Police Command and the result will be catastrophic.”
