APC asks NASS to probe results of Ekiti guber elections

Following the release of an audio recording by an Intelligence Officer, Capt. Sagir Koli, of the 32 Artillery Brigade alleging that the military was used to rig last year's Ekiti gubernatorial election in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the National Assembly to carry out a thorough investigation into the incident.



The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, while interacting with journalists on Wednesday played an audio recording where some top government officials and members of PDP, including former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, Police Affairs Minister Jelili Adesiyan, PDP chieftain Iyiola Omisore, Ayo Fayose and Brigade Commander Brig.-Gen. Aliyu Momoh allegedly held a secret meeting in Ado-Ekiti on the eve of the June 21st governorship election to strategize on how to of rig in favour of the PDP.

Lai Mohammed called on the lawmakers to invite everyone who featured in the secretly recorded audio “to testify about the rigging of Ekiti poll, using the military.” He further criticized the Presidency for using the military during elections. “We want to remind the Presidency and the PDP that the military is a national institution that is far too important as a symbol of our national unity to be toyed with or dragged into partisan politics. We will also remind the military that its loyalty should be to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not to any party or individual, whoever that person may be.

“We will like to warn, for the umpteenth time, that the military should not be used for policing duties during elections. That role should be left for the police and the Civil Defence. Is it not curious that over 1,000 troops could be made available for election duty at a time the military was battling the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east? Is it any surprise then why this battle has not achieved much in six years?” the APC leader said.

“We will also like to alert Nigerians to the fact that the Jonathan Administration and the PDP have perfected the plot to again use the military to thwart the aspirations of Nigerians for a change that will usher in a purposeful government”, he added.