Gov. Fayose

Eromosele Ebhomele

The Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM), on Wednesday, asked the Federal Government to commence a new probe of the fresh allegations and confessions of how Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State was rigged into office.

In a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari, and copied other concerned stakeholders, the organisation chaired by Nelson Ekujumi, noted that the fresh revelations by the former Secretary of PDP in Ekiti State, Dr. Temitope Aluko, cannot be overlooked.

Dated February 3, the petition seeks the setting up of a commission of inquiry into what has come to be known as the Ekitigate.

CPPM said it was pained and disturbed and wants an urgent action over the alleged violation of the constitution in the conduct of the election in Ekiti State in 2014 calling it a coup against democracy.

“This latest confession is a confirmation of an earlier confession in 2015 by an army captain, Sagir Kooli, an intelligence officer serving in the 32 artillery brigade, Akure in what has infamously become known as Ekitigate on how democracy and the constitution were brazenly violated by security agencies and their civilian collaborators in the conduct of the election.

“Your Excellency Sir, we are indeed saddened by the fact that in the Ekitigate audio tape, the voice of governor Ayodele Fayose was heard stating to Brig. General Aliyu Momoh that he was President Jonathan for the election and this statement has been reaffirmed by the confession of Dr. Temitope Aluko in which he reported how the exalted office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which is the symbol of dignity and character of the Nigerian people was assaulted and brought to public ridicule by a clear violation of oath of office and the constitution by the immediate past President through the transfer of presidential powers to a person unknown to law.”

The group quoted Aluko as saying that “at that meeting, the former President made it clear to the ex-Chief of Defence Staff that Fayose would stand for him (as Commander-In-Chief) in terms of providing security for the election,” and that he (Aluko) mentioned those present at the meeting to comprise of President Goodluck Jonathan, former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh, former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah, former national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, Ayodele Fayose, Senator Iyiola Omisore, ex Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan and Musiliu Obanikoro, ex Minister of State for Defence.

“Sir, in his confession, Dr. Temitope Aluko in corroborating the earlier confession of Captain Sagir Kooli in 2015, gave an illustration of the details of the modus operandi of the alleged coup carried out against democracy in the conduct of the 2014 Ekiti State gubernatorial election, but what is particularly of concern and worry to CPPM, was how a civilian, Senator Andy Ubah brought in 400 unrecognized soldiers from Enugu when he is not a military commander. This action is a clear threat to democracy and national security because we need to know from which brigade he sourced these military personnel or whether they were militias raised, trained, funded and deployed by him for the election? We need to know?

“Your Excellency, this alleged coup against democracy in the conduct of the 2014 Ekiti State gubernatorial election with sordid details of how it was executed as revealed by the confession of participants, comprised of politicians, INEC, military, policemen, DSS operatives and civil defence corps amongst several others which only a judicial commission of inquiry can expose.

“In as much as we congratulate the military authorities for hearkening to the words of reasoning, respect for democracy and rule of law in order to restore the damaged image of this revered institution which symbolizes national unity and value through its compromised, unprofessional, corrupt and partisan conduct in the discharge of its constitutional responsibility, by setting up an investigative panel which examined the conduct of its personnel in elections inclusive of Ekitigate and recommended appropriate punitive measures for indicted officers, we insist that the military personnel found culpable must be submitted to a judicial trial because their conduct was not only a dereliction of duty, violation of their commission, but also a violation of the constitution of Nigeria.

“Sir, on assumption into office, you swore on oath to be faithful and preserve the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the discharge of your responsibilities as President and Commander-In-Chief, thus, a violation of the constitution without appropriate measures to ensure compliance through sanctions, constitutes a failure in carrying out your constitutional duties.

“Your Excellency Sir, in view of the alleged violations of the constitution as exposed in the conduct of the 2014 Ekiti State gubernatorial election by military and civilian collaborators, we demand the immediate establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry to examine the conduct of the 2014 Ekiti State gubernatorial election which is an alleged commission of treason against the constitution in order to preserve our democracy and serve as a deterrent to anti democratic elements, in the military establishment and their civilian collaborators,” the petition stated.