The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti on Thursday described the campaigns in public schools by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as reckless politicking which has no merit in modern democratic governance.
This is contained in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti by the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Taiwo Olatunbosun.
“ Visiting public schools during school hours to disrupt academic exercise is desperation taken too far, condemnable and reckless politicking that has no merit in modern democratic governance.
“It is regrettable that the PDP and its candidate have resorted into taking their campaign to public secondary schools across the state, thereby disrupting academic activities in the schools.
“This singular move has confirmed our initial cries that Gov. Ayo Fayose, his deputy, who is also the candidate of the party, Prof. Olusola Eleka, and PDP were involved in the registration of underage children across the state during the continuous voters registration exercise by INEC.
“It is very unfortunate that the students who are supposed to be seriously engaged in preparations for either NECO or promotion examinations are now the targets of being conscripted into electoral illegality, ’’ he said.
Olatubosun said the move, which he described as “ambush tactics” to seek support of students and teachers after failing to pay their salaries for eight months, would fail.
He accused some teachers, who are allegedly on the pay roll of the governor, of going round schools threatening and coercing other teachers to surrender their voter’s cards and profiling those perceived as not supporting Eleka.
”In the last few days, victimised teachers have been visiting SUBEB on the invitation to answer queries on alleged disloyalty to the governor for punishment,” he said.
Olatunbosun urged the party and its candidate to stop their “anti-democratic” conduct by allowing teachers to make their free choices in the July 14 poll.(NAN)