The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Chief Olajide Awe, has said the role of the Army during the June 22 governorship election in Ekiti State was “better imagined than experienced”.
He and 14 others yesterday testified before the Army panel of inquiry investigating the involvement of its officers and soldiers in the 2014/2015 governorship and presidential elections in Ekiti, Osun, Rivers and Akwa-Ibom states.
It was gathered that Army officers and personnel, including the famous Capt. Sagir Koli, who released the voice clip which alleged that former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musliu Obanikoro, rigged the election in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had last week appeared before the panel.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Mechanised Division, Kaduna, who is also the President of the panel, Maj-Gen. Adeninyi Oyebade, had on November 9, inaugurated the panel on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.
Gen Oyebade said the Army was deeply concerned about the alleged misconduct of its officers and men before, during and after the elections.
Testifying yesterday, Awe told the panel that the role of soldiers in the June 2014 governorship election in Ekiti was better imagined because according to him, it was more of a battle field between the soldiers and voters.
He alleged that before the election, party bigwigs, including former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, were prevented from entering the state for the party’s rally. Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole was grounded in Benin on the orders of the power-that-be.
The APC chairman said over N30 million meant for party agents and election works were confiscated by some soldiers, whose identity, particularly their name tags, were concealed with black bands.
Awe said 36,000 security personnel, including soldiers, invaded the state on the eve of the election, harassed and arrested party leaders, members and supporters.
He added that he received phone calls from party loyalists on election day, alleging the maltreatment soldiers were meting out to them.
The APC chairman said the whereabouts of the Director-General of the Fayemi Campaign Organisation, Bimbo Daramola, who escaped arrest in Ire, was still unknown even after the election.
Awe told the panel that there was no election in the state, noting that former Governor Kayode Fayemi accepted the outcome of that election for peace to reign in the state.
He said while he objected, Fayemi replied that “look if we say we cannot accept the election result, we will put the lives of our people in danger”.
The APC leader added that “Fayemi accepted the result in the name of peace. Some of this did not go down well with our people. We took the decision to accept the result for the sake of peace in the state.”
Asked by Gen. Oyebade if there was a report of killing during the election, Awe said there was none.
He, however, said that in his village, several houses were razed, 15 vehicles destroyed and several people kidnapped.
Today.ng
Investigations like this are good. It's also fair to extend the searchlight to Edo, Osun, Yobe, etc. Let's get some balance. Only 'PDP states' seem to be in focus right now.
No comments:
Post a Comment