THE EKITI ELECTION TAPE SAGA

There is need for a thorough investigation into the intriguing matter

When the audio clip of a meeting allegedly held between some politicians from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a Brigadier General in the Nigeria Army on the eve of last year’s Ekiti State gubernatorial election first came out, many people had their doubts. When President Goodluck Jonathan dismissed it as a forgery unworthy of any further investigation, not a few Nigerians concluded that should be the end of the matter. “It’s all fabrications. Why should I investigate things that are not real?” the president said in his interview with Wall Street Journal.

However, in what goes for a dramatic turn-around, virtually all the dramatis personae in the unfortunate saga have now admitted that the tape is indeed genuine and that they took part in the conversation as recorded. But they all dispute that it was an organised meeting or that it was about rigging the poll. Those believed to have taken part in the conversation as recorded in the audio clip are Mr. Ayo Fayose, the current Governor of Ekiti (at that period the PDP gubernatorial candidate for the state); Senator Iyiola Omisore (also at that time the PDP Gubernatorial candidate in Osun State) and Mr. Jelili Adesiyan, the Minister of Police Affairs.

There were also Captain Sagir Koli (who became the whistle blower having recorded the conversation); Brigadier General Aliyu Momoh and a member of the House of Representatives. Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, then Minister of State for Defence, has denied participating in the meeting and has filed a suit in the United States against an online media house. Now nominated by the president to return to the cabinet, the controversy is dogging Obanikoro’s

IT IS IN THE INTEREST OF THE CREDIBILITY OF NIGERIA’S ELECTION SYSTEM AND OF ALL PERSONS AND INSTITUTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE ALLEGATIONS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A CREDIBLE, INDEPENDENT AND IMPARTIAL INVESTIGATION OF THESE ALLEGATIONS

confirmation hearing at the Senate.

On his part, Omisore said what took place was not a meeting but rather a session to lodge a complaint. “Fayose went to the army camp to complain about the Nigerian Army arresting his people, alleging that Governor Fayemi bribed the soldiers to arrest his people. That is all. If you listened to that tape there was no issue,” said Omisore, before he added: “All I said was calm down, calm down! What happened was that we were told (that) the soldiers were disarming the Nigerian policemen. That was what he (Fayose) was cautioning them for that day.”

Also providing context for the content of the tape, the Minister of Police Affairs, Mr. Jelili Adesiyan, said: “Fayose accused the General who supervised the Ekiti election of taking bribe from Fayemi and APC; that was two days before the election. They called me because they said the general disarmed policemen and I told him to allow the policemen to do their job. I was there, Fayose was there, Otunba Omisore was there, Senator Obanikoro was there. I am not denying that there was a conversation but it was not what they are saying. Nigerians are not dummies. These people are mischievous; somebody recorded the scene but let everybody listen to it.”

Since Adesiyan confirmed the meeting and asked Nigerians to listen to the tape with open minds, many indeed have and their impression is not pretty. In calling for the independence, neutrality and impartiality of all security and law enforcement units deployed for election duty, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), acting in concert with civil society groups, have viewed the matter “serious” enough to warrant an investigation.

In the communiqué jointly signed by the NHRC Chairman, Chidi Odinkalu and Head, the CSO Situation Room, Clement Nwankwo, they said “it is in the interest of the credibility of Nigeria’s election system and of all persons and institutions associated with these allegations that there should be a credible, independent and impartial investigation of these allegations without further delay.”

We align ourselves with that position.