From left to right: Senator Dino Melaye and Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state at Transcorp Hotel
Senator Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West) has condemned President Muhammadu Buhari for sending over 30,000 policemen to Ekiti ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
Speaking on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday, the lawmaker accused Buhari of trying to militarise democracy.
Dino Melaye said: “Mr. President, I rise this morning to read in the papers, that 30,000 police men were drafted to Ekiti over election scheduled for Saturday.”
“Election is a civic duty and it is common practice all over the world that we need not militarise elections. I am appalled that there is crisis in Zamfara, in Plateau, Kaduna, Taraba and this number of policemen were not drafted.
“I heard that the Force Police Public Relations (PPRO), Jimoh Moshood stated that about 30,000 police were drafted to Ekiti.
“I wish to submit that the Nigeria Police furnish this Senate the names and service numbers of those drafted: where they were drafted from and where they are going.
“We cannot sit down as Senate seeing democracy turned to militocracy.
“If we do not get up, history will not forgive us and nobody should be allowed to run the country as a club.”