Criminal Politics: Violence, “Godfathers” and Corruption in Nigeria

There is no question we can’t rely on above-the-board tactics alone. I
know this is not a tea-party and there are things I will have to do that
are not acceptable to my core principles. Or things that others in the
AC will do that are beyond my control—for me this may just be a
competition but for some of them it is a life-or-death matter. 81
Asked to elaborate, Dr. Fayemi denied that he would condone the use of violence.
But many of the AC members working on the elections clearly considered that stand
impractical. One AC candidate who was running for Ekiti’s State House of Assembly
frankly admitted to Human Rights Watch that he had recruited his own boys as a
“counterbalance” to the alleged efforts of his PDP rival to intimidate him and his
supporters. 82 And one high profile supporter of Dr. Fayemi in Ekiti told Human Rights
Watch: “It’s fire for fire. We are prepared to neutralize their efforts to rig the
elections. If they are preparing to rig violently, we will react violently.” 83
Election day in Ekiti reportedly saw gangs of PDP thugs hijacking ballot boxes, and
some of Dr. Fayemi’s own supporters also engaged openly in violent tactics. One
journalist who witnessed the elections in Ekiti told Human Rights Watch that
“Fayemi’s thugs were out as well. We saw them dragging people out of their cars and
beating the shit out of them.” 84 Most of the violence and ballot box snatching
reported by observers was carried out by Fayemi’s opponents in the PDP, who were
declared winners of the election amid widespread evidence of intimidation and vote
rigging. 85 Fayemi challenged the results of the election before the Election Tribunal.
81 Human Rights Watch interview with Kayode Fayemi, Ado Ekiti, April 6, 2007.
82 Human Rights Watch interview with Tope Longe, Ado Ekiti, April 6, 2007.
83 Human Rights Watch interview, Ado Ekiti, April 7, 2007.
84 Human Rights Watch interview with journalist, Nigeria, April 2007.
85 Human Rights Watch telephone interviews with domestic election observers who had been stationed in Ekiti, July 2007.
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