Ado Ekiti — Thousands of women across the 16 local local government areas of Ekiti State yesterday stormed the state House of Assembly in a peaceful protest against the long delay in the conduct of the local government elections in the state.

The women, dressed in white attire walked barefooted as they stormed the Assembly as early as 8am. They were led to the Assembly complex by women sango worshippers armed with palm fronds and several other instruments of Sango deity.

They sprinkled several bags of table salt on the floor of the Assembly complex to indicate that yesterday's protest was a peaceful one.

The protest, which lasted for several hours, was carried out without any harassment or molestation from the security operatives, who watched them, as they moved round the Assembly complex, fuming with anger and depression in their faces.

Speaking with newsmen, Mrs Dupe Ayorinde, head of sango worshippers (Iya Onisango), from Emue-Ekiti assisted by one Mrs Abiola Ayeni, expressed disgust about the attitude of the lawmakers over the conduct of the council poll, since the inception of this administration in 2007.

They said the purpose of their coming to the assembly was to register their disappointment with the assembly men and the state government or any other body that has to do with organizing the election, but failed to do so to the detriment of the larger society.

Mrs Ayoride said they have spoken with the speaker of the house, Hon. Olatunji Odeyeymi, where they gave him an ultimatum till Friday, with which to come out with a definite date for the conduct of the elections.

She said, if by Friday no definite day is given, the women would be mobilized the following Monday to stage another protest that would be more terrible in nature by all Ekiti women.

According to her, that time, all women protesters would appear naked, or if they would wear anything at all, it would be black attire altogether, while they would not hesitate to curse whoever is behind the frustration of the conduct of the council polls in the state.

She said the need for the conduct of the election became necessary in view of the hardships facing the people of the state, especially the down trodden masses.

Aske whether the action was political, Ayorinde further told journalists that the protest was without bias, and was not at the instance of any political party, but purely a matter that concerned all Ekiti women.

Reacting to the development, speaker of the house, Hon. Odeyemi said there was nothing unusual in the protest, saying that it was an avenue to register their minds against the happenings in the state.

Odeyemi, who acknowledged that everybody has the right to protest, however noted that what the women were protesting against was a public issue, which he said must not be wished away.

"They came to bare their minds over the conduct of the council poll, especially the constitution of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), and we told them that in the next one week everything would be over," Odeyemi said.