The African Democratic Congress senatorial candidate for Ekiti North, Funso Ayeni, has condemned the attack on his campaign office in Ido Ekiti, calling for a police investigation into the incident. The office, located in the headquarters of Ekiti North Senatorial District, was inaugurated just last Thursday. Ayeni urged law enforcement agencies to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Ayeni, during an assessment visit to the damaged office on Saturday, appealed to his supporters to remain calm and not take the law into their own hands despite the provocation. He emphasized that political competition should be about ideas, programmes, and records, not destruction or violence. Ayeni advocated for a peaceful, issue-based, and responsible political environment in Ekiti North and across Ekiti State.
The National Democratic Congress House of Representatives candidate for Ikole/Oye Federal Constituency, Ayodele David-Adesua, also condemned the attack in a solidarity statement made available in Ado Ekiti on Sunday. He expressed concern over the destruction of Ayeni's campaign office, stating that what affects one of them affects all of them in Ekiti North.
David-Adesua called on all relevant security agencies to carry out a thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation into the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice. He also urged political parties, candidates, supporters, and youths in Ekiti North to embrace peace and campaign with decorum, selling their manifestos and allowing Ekiti people to decide freely.
Both candidates emphasized that elections should be a contest of ideas, policies, character, and capacity to deliver, not a contest of violence, intimidation, and destruction of property. They stressed that politics should build, not destroy, and that campaigns should focus on issues affecting the people, such as jobs, security, education, agriculture, and infrastructure.
The incident has raised concerns about the level of political tolerance ahead of the 2027 general elections. Ayeni and David-Adesua urged Ekiti people to prioritize peace and ensure that the 2027 political season is remembered for ideas and accountability, not intimidation, destruction, or bloodshed. They emphasized that Ekiti State is too knowledgeable and too politically conscious to allow a culture of political violence to take place.
The candidates' condemnation of the attack and their calls for peace and tolerance have been seen as a positive step towards promoting a peaceful and issue-based campaign in Ekiti State. The incident is currently under investigation, and the police are yet to make any arrests or statements about the attack.
Key points
- Funso Ayeni and Ayodele David-Adesua condemn the attack on the campaign office.
- The candidates call for a police investigation and political tolerance ahead of the 2027 elections.
- The incident raises concerns about the level of political tolerance in Ekiti State.
