Thursday 26 February 2015
Chatham Shame: Protesters know not what they are (doing) protesting for
It was a reflection of what an average Nigerians are up to with the shame that was displayed today at the chatham house by the hire protesters who know nothing about what they are asked to do.
Sit Back and WATCH!
Nigerians Commend Buhari Full Speech At the Chatham House
"Prospects for Democratic Consolidation in Africa: Nigeria’s Transition" - By General Muhammadu Buhari.
Kindly take an intelligent listen, or better put, have a right-minded read: CHANGE is assuredly here:
Permit me to start by thanking Chatham House for the invitation to talk about this important topic at this crucial time. The 2015 general election in Nigeria is generating a lot of interests within and outside the country. This is understandable. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and largest economy, is at a defining moment, a moment that has great implications beyond the democratic project and beyond the borders of my dear country.
So let me say upfront that the global interest in Nigeria’s landmark election is not misplaced at all and indeed should be commended, for this is an election that has serious import for the world. I urge the international community to continue to focus on Nigeria at this very critical moment. Given increasing global linkages, it is in our collective interests that the postponed elections should hold on the rescheduled dates, that they should be free and fair, that their outcomes should be respected by all parties, and that any form of extension, under whichever guise, is unconstitutional and would not be tolerated.
With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, the collapse of communism and the end of the Cold War, democracy became the dominant and most preferred system of government across the globe. That global transition has been aptly captured as the triumph of democracy and the ‘most pre-eminent political idea of our time.’ On a personal note, the phased end of the USSR was a turning point for me. If you will, that was my own road to Damascus experience. It convinced me that change can be brought about without firing a single shot. As you all know, I had been a military head of state in Nigeria for twenty months. We intervened because we were unhappy with the state of affairs in our country.
We wanted to arrest the drift. Driven by patriotism, influenced by the prevalence and popularity of such drastic measures all over Africa and elsewhere, we fought our way to power. But the global triumph of democracy has shown that another, and a preferable, path to change is possible. It is an important lesson I have carried with me since, and a lesson that is not lost on the African continent.
In the last two decades, democracy has grown strong roots in Africa. Elections, once so rare, are now so commonplace. As at the time I was a military head of state between 1983 and 1985, only four African countries held regular multi-party elections. But the number of electoral democracies in Africa, according to Freedom House, jumped to 10 in 1992/1993 then to 18 in 1994/1995 and to 24 in 2005/2006.
According to the New York Times, 42 of the 48 countries in Sub-Sahara Africa conducted multi-party elections between 1990 and 2002. The newspaper also reported that between 2000 and 2002, ruling parties in four African countries (Senegal, Mauritius, Ghana and Mali) peacefully handed over power to victorious opposition parties. In addition, the proportion of African countries categorized as not free by Freedom House declined from 59% in 1983 to 35% in 2003. Without doubt, Africa has been part of the current global wave of democratisation.
But the growth of democracy on the continent has been uneven. According to Freedom House, the number of electoral democracies in Africa slipped from 24 in 2007/2008 to 19 in 2011/2012; while the percentage of countries categorised as ‘not free’ increased from 35% in 2003 to 41% in 2013. Also, there have been some reversals at different times in Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Cote D’Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Mali, Madagascar, Mauritania and Togo.
While we can choose to look at the glass of democracy in Africa as either half full or half empty. While you can’t have representative democracy without elections, it is equally important to look at the quality of the elections and to remember that mere elections do not democracy make. It is globally agreed that democracy is not an event, but a journey. And that the destination of that journey is democratic consolidation—that state where democracy has become so rooted and so routine and widely accepted by all actors.
With this important destination in mind, it is clear that though many African countries now hold regular elections, very few of them have consolidated the practice of democracy. It is important to also state at this point that just as with elections, a consolidated democracy cannot be an end by itself. I will argue that it is not enough to hold series of elections or even to peacefully alternate power among parties.
It is much more important that the promise of democracy goes beyond just allowing people to freely choose their leaders. It is much more important that democracy should deliver on the promise of choice, of freedoms, of security of lives and property, of transparency and accountability, of rule of law, of good governance and of shared prosperity. It is very important that the promise embedded in the concept of democracy, the promise of a better life for the generality of the people, is not delivered in the breach.
Now, let me quickly turn to Nigeria. As you all know, Nigeria’s fourth republic is in its 16th year and this general election will be the fifth in a row. This is a major sign of progress for us, given that our first republic lasted five years and three months, the second republic ended after four years and two months and the third republic was a still-birth. However, longevity is not the only reason why everyone is so interested in this election.
The major difference this time around is that for the very first time since transition to civil rule in 1999, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing its stiffest opposition so far from our party the All Progressives Congress (APC). We once had about 50 political parties, but with no real competition. Now Nigeria is transiting from a dominant party system to a competitive electoral polity, which is a major marker on the road to democratic consolidation. As you know, peaceful alternation of power through competitive elections have happened in Ghana, Senegal, Malawi and Mauritius in recent times.
The prospects of democratic consolidation in Africa will be further brightened when that eventually happens in Nigeria.
But there are other reasons why Nigerians and the whole world are intensely focussed on this year’s elections, chief of which is that the elections are holding in the shadow of huge security, economic and social uncertainties in Africa’s most populous country and largest economy.
On insecurity, there is a genuine cause for worry, both within and outside Nigeria. Apart from the civil war era, at no other time in our history has Nigeria been this insecure. Boko Haram has sadly put Nigeria on the terrorism map, killing more than 13,000 of our nationals, displacing millions internally and externally, and at a time holding on to portions of our territory the size of Belgium. What has been consistently lacking is the required leadership in our battle against insurgency.
I, as a retired general and a former head of state, have always known about our soldiers: they are capable, well trained, patriotic, brave and always ready to do their duty in the service of our country. You all can bear witness to the gallant role of our military in Burma, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Darfur and in many other peacekeeping operations in several parts of the world. But in the matter of this insurgency, our soldiers have neither received the necessary support nor the required incentives to tackle this problem. The government has also failed in any effort towards a multi-dimensional response to this problem leading to a situation in which we have now become dependent on our neighbours coming to our rescue.
Let me assure you that if I am elected president, the world will have no cause to worry about Nigeria as it has had to recently, that Nigeria will return to its stabilising role in West Africa, and that no inch of Nigerian territory will ever be lost to the enemy because we will pay special attention to the welfare of our soldiers in and out of service, we will give them adequate and modern arms and ammunitions to work with, we will improve intelligence gathering to choke Boko Haram's financial and equipment channels, we will be tough on terrorism and tough on its root causes by initiating a comprehensive economic development plan promoting infrastructural development, job creation, agriculture and industry in the affected areas.
We will always act on time and not allow problems to irresponsibly fester, and I, General Muhammadu Buhari, will always lead from the front and return Nigeria to its leadership role in regional and international efforts to combat terrorism.
On the economy, the fall in prices of oil has brought our economic and social stress into full relief. After the rebasing exercise in April 2014, Nigeria overtook South Africa as Africa’s largest economy. Our GDP is now valued at $510 billion and our economy rated 26th in the world. Also on the bright side, inflation has been kept at single digit for a while and our economy has grown at an average of 7% for about a decade. But it is more of paper growth, a growth that, on account of mismanagement, profligacy and corruption, has not translated to human development or shared prosperity. A development economist once said three questions should be asked about a country’s development: one, what is happening to poverty? Two, what is happening to unemployment? And three, what is happening to inequality?
The answers to these questions in Nigeria show that the current administration has created two economies in one country, a sorry tale of two nations: one economy for a few who have so much in their tiny island of prosperity; and the other economy for the many who have so little in their vast ocean of misery. Even by official figures, 33.1% of Nigerians live in extreme poverty. That’s at almost 60 million, almost the population of the United Kingdom. There is also the unemployment crisis simmering beneath the surface, ready to explode at the slightest stress, with officially 23.9% of our adult population and almost 60% of our youth unemployed. We also have one of the highest rates of inequalities in the world. With all these, it is not surprising that our performance on most governance and development indicators (like Mo Ibrahim Index on African Governance and UNDP’s Human Development Index.) are unflattering. With fall in the prices of oil, which accounts for more than 70% of government revenues, and lack of savings from more than a decade of oil boom, the poor will be disproportionately impacted.
In the face of dwindling revenues, a good place to start the repositioning of Nigeria's economy is to swiftly tackle two ills that have ballooned under the present administration: waste and corruption. And in doing this, I will, if elected, lead the way, with the force of personal example.
On corruption, there will be no confusion as to where I stand. Corruption will have no place and the corrupt will not be appointed into my administration. First and foremost, we will plug the holes in the budgetary process. Revenue producing entities such as NNPC and Customs and Excise will have one set of books only. Their revenues will be publicly disclosed and regularly audited. The institutions of state dedicated to fighting corruption will be given independence and prosecutorial authority without political interference. But I must emphasise that any war waged on corruption should not be misconstrued as settling old scores or a witch-hunt. I'm running for President to lead Nigeria to prosperity and not adversity.
In reforming the economy, we will use savings that arise from blocking these leakages and the proceeds recovered from corruption to fund our party’s social investments programmes in education, health, and safety nets such as free school meals for children, emergency public works for unemployed youth and pensions for the elderly. As a progressive party, we must reform our political economy to unleash the pent-up ingenuity and productivity of the Nigerian people thus freeing them from the indignities of poverty.
We will run a private sector-led economy but maintain an active role for government through strong regulatory oversight and deliberate interventions and incentives to diversify the base of our economy, strengthen productive sectors, improve the productive capacities of our people and create jobs for our teeming youths. In short, we will run a functional economy driven by a worldview that sees growth not as an end by itself, but as a tool to create a society that works for all, rich and poor alike. On March 28, Nigeria has a decision to make. To vote for the continuity of failure or to elect progressive change. I believe the people will choose wisely.
In sum, I think that given its strategic importance, Nigeria can trigger a wave of democratic consolidation in Africa. But as a starting point we need to get this critical election right by ensuring that they go ahead and depriving those who want to scuttle it the benefit of derailing our fledgling democracy. That way, we will all see democracy and democratic consolidation as tools for solving pressing problems in a sustainable way, not as ends in themselves.
Permit me to close this discussion on a personal note. I have heard and read references to me as a former dictator in many respected British newspapers including the well regarded Economist. Let me say without sounding defensive that dictatorship goes with military rule, though some might be less dictatorial than others.
I take responsibility for whatever happened under my watch. I cannot change the past. But I can change the present and the future. So before you is a former military ruler and a converted democrat who is ready to operate under democratic norms and is subjecting himself to the rigours of democratic elections for the fourth time.
You may ask: why is he doing this? This is a question I ask myself all the time too. And here is my humble answer: because the work of making Nigeria great is not yet done, because I still believe that change is possible, this time through the ballot, and most importantly, because I still have the capacity and the passion to dream and work for a Nigeria that will be respected again in the comity of nations and that all Nigerians will be proud of.
I thank you for listening.
Gen.Muhammadu Buhari.
Below is one of my friends verdict:
My Friend Verdict:
Sir, for always, you have my most reserved and well-considered respect. If wishes were Horses, even the present incumbent would ride, but it is not given to all to deliver a World-Class speech. A man is condemned by nature, from giving what he does not have. Sir, you have it, you once gave it, you are always giving it, and you are giving it again, not just at home, but before watching and right-thinking International community. Sir, we celebrate you, we celebrate NIGERIA, and we celebrate CHANGE that for this time around, Nigeria has the right President.
Please enjoy your weekend Sir, and have some more good rest in the UK, while the mediocres in the Presidential Villa knock their heads some more against the walls where they are currently trapped. Our People have summed it all up when the said, "He who thinks he is leading and has no one following him is only taking a stroll". General Sir, while you receive my salute, know that you are leading, and millions of Nigerians are right behind you matching your steps of integrity and forthrightness by following; the current Office holder can enjoy his stroll, while bemoaning the end of his 6years travel with the retinue of Oil thieves in his government. CHANGE has come, CHANGE is here and the revered General from Daura has our vote
Monday 23 February 2015
Babalakin acquitted of N4.7 billion fraud charge
The EFCC had charged Mr. Babalakin, Alex Okoh, and their companies on a 27-count charge of fraud, conspiracy, and retention of proceeds of criminal conduct.
Delivering his ruling, Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo said the EFCC failed to disclose enough information to sustain the allegations against the defendants.
“The amended information filed May 7, 2013, is incurably bad and ineffective,” the judge held.
Thursday 19 February 2015
At Last Obanikoro Admits He Was Present At Ekiti Rigging Meeting
Contrary to his earlier denials, the embattled ministerial nominee,
Musiliu Obanikoro, has confessed to several Senators in Abuja that he did
participate in an election-eve meeting in Ekiti in June 2014 in which a group
of politicians and government ministers met with a Nigerian army general to rig
the governorship election in favor of Ayodele Fayose, the candidate of the
People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The meeting, which is now known as “Ekitigate”, was secretly
taped by an army captain who was subsequently forced to flee for his life.
Despite the scandal, President Jonathan went ahead to
nominate Obanikoro into his cabinet for the second time, and the nominee is
lobbying the Senators to give him a pass during his upcoming nomination
hearing. It is in the process that he
has confessed to some of them that he was indeed present at the rigging meeting
in Akure, on behalf of the President, to ensure that everything went smoothly.
Obanikoro’s story is that he was simply making “peace”
between the army and Ayo Fayose at the meeting, claiming that he was not party
to any conversation about rigging. On
the contrary, Obanikoro, who was at the time junior Minister for Defence, is
overheard clearly on the tape bragging about the authority granted him by
President Jonathan.
Prior to admitting his involvement to the Senators, the former
minister met with President Jonathan to discuss the tape and his role. A
presidency source said Obanikoro told President Jonathan he was present at the
meeting but that a part of the audio-recording was “doctored”.
They said President Jonathan had called him to the meeting
to discuss how to mitigate the damage created by the leaked tape. He told the Senators categorically that it
was Jonathan himself who had sent him to Ekiti to help Fayose win the election. On the tape, Obanikoro says, at least twice,
that he is on a “mission” for the President.
He also reportedly told President Jonathan at their meeting
that he had asked his US-based lawyers to do a separate voice analysis of the
tape and that the lawyers came back with “proof” that certain aspects of the
tape had been doctored by SaharaReporters to make the regime look bad. Counting on that assurance, President
Jonathan told a team of reporters from the Wall Street Journal during an
interview that the tapes were not real and that he would not investigate the
incident.
Obanikoro also told President Jonathan that his US-based
lawyers had assured him that they could file some cases against SaharaReporters
in the US to “teach SaharaReporters and its publisher, Omoyele Sowore” a
lesson. He explained to the president that with enough financial support, his
lawyers would file the case and also employ private detectives to take down
SaharaReporters. President Jonathan reportedly nodded at the idea, and asked
Obanikoro not to worry.
Following that meeting, the former Minister began a series
of legal threats last week claiming to have sued SaharaReporters, as well as
The Punch newspaper and Premium Times, both in Lagos. Up until now, those newspapers are yet to be
served copies of the lawsuit.
On Tuesday night, Obanikoro, who is also a US citizen,
assured some of the Senators that his US lawyers had already filed the libel
suit against SaharaReporters in New York.
On Wednesday, Obanikoro deployed a small rented a crowd of
protesters to hold placards in front of the National Assembly to denounce the
All Progressives Congress.
It is to be noted that two other key participants at the
meeting, Police Minister Jelili Adesiyan and Ayo Fayose, the beneficiary of the
Ekiti governorship rigging, have admitted that they were at the meeting that
was taped by the army captain.
For Obanikoro’s role in the rigging of the election, APC has advocated his being banned from holding any public office, and asked the Senate not to confirm him. Mr. Jonathan is known to have re-nominated Obanikoro as his prize for stepping down from the PDP governorship race in Lagos.
Who knows maybe PDP need him again to do their dirty job, who knows? Only time will tell.
I can’t guarantee elections will hold March 28, Jega tells senators
At a meeting with Senators Wednesday, Mr. Jega said he could not commit himself to the “sanctity” of March 28 and April 11 – dates for the rescheduled Nigeria’s general elections.
He said the electoral commission could not guarantee aspects of the poll that are beyond its control.
Mr. Jega met with the lawmakers to review the decision to postpone the polls from February.
Under the Nigerian law, a further six-week extension of the elections is possible, a prospect opposed by many Nigerians, the main opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, and the international community.
INEC had said the postponement were necessary for security reasons, as military chiefs had warned against going on with the vote to allow it focus on fighting the terror group, Boko Haram.
But the APC said the delay was instigated by President Goodluck Jonathan, to save him and ruling party from losing the elections to the APC candidate, Muhammadu Buhari.
Since announcing the new dates nearly two weeks ago, the commission has declined to clearly confirm that there will be no further delay beyond March 28 and April 11, for presidential, National Assembly, governorship and state assembly polls.
Responding to a question by George Akume, Senate Minority Leader, on the sanctity of the new dates, on Wednesday, Mr. Jega said it was difficult for him to respond, saying he could only give assurances over aspects within the control of INEC.
“That’s a very difficult question to answer. I have said not everything that has to do with the conduct of successful election is within the control of INEC,” Mr. Jega said.
Use of card readers
Mr. Jega also said the commission will go forward with its plan to deploy card readers for the elections.
There have been some concerns, mainly from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, about the plan as Nigerian law prohibits electronic voting.
On Wednesday, while PDP Senators opposed the plan, their APC counterparts welcomed it.
Heineken Lokpobri, a PDP Senator from Bayelsa State and Odion Ugbesa, from Edo State, argued against the use of card readers for the elections, saying it would be illegal.
In his response, Mr. Jega said card readers would only be used for accreditation not actual voting.
He said there was no law forbidding the use of electronic devices for accreditation.
“Card reader is used for accreditation not voting. Voting his defined as dropping of ballot paper into ballot box. Accreditation is essential for integrity of the election,” he said.
“Nothing in the constitution says we should not use electronic device in the process of accreditation. Anybody that is not satisfied can go to court. We have solid ground on that,” he said.
He added that the card readers would curb electoral malpractices, as cloned cards would be detected.
Mr. Jega said INEC will perform a mock test on the card readers.
He said some tests had already been taken in the United States, and will now be tested in the six geopolitical zones.
“The card reader has passed in all the 13 test categories conducted in terms of its durability and versatility,” he said.
Mr. Jega said the postponement of the general elections will enable INEC to have a flawless, near-perfect elections.
INEC National Commissioners are to visit state offices to conduct evaluation and comprehensively determine the level of preparation in the election.
He said after the visit, the commission will meet with the heads of departments and directorates of units to conduct a comprehensive assessment, to figure out additional things to be done before March 28.
Mr Jega said a meeting with the inter-agency committee on security will hold a meeting to discuss security on the Election Day.
Wednesday 18 February 2015
Reno Omokri reply critics in style (tweets)
Presidential spokesperson, Reuben Abati, had on Tuesday, February 17, confirmed the replacement of Omokri with entertainment mogul, Obi Asika, who is expected to take charge of the president’s social media coverage.
After the announcement, Omokri came under a barrage of attacks from antagonists and he just couldn’t help but respond.
With a couple of bible verses, Omokri answered his critics. He wrote: “I read Proverbs 24:17-18 and I just love my enemies with a passion. Where would I be without them?”
The second tweet said: “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?-Psalm 2:1.”
Who is more intelligent? Buhari or Jonathan? Take a look at this...
Buhari spoke about the ongoing political situation, his
thoughts about Obasanjo’s endorsement and how he’ll fight corruption and
Boko Haram if he becomes president.
Here’s a full transcript of the interview:
Amanpour: General, welcome to the programme.
Can I ask you first your reaction to the delay in this
election by six weeks and to what you just heard President Jonathan say
that they will make inroads into much more security within the next six
weeks?
Buhari: Well, my reaction is that of
disappointment, because the presentation made by INEC was that they were
ready to conduct the election on the date they fixed a year ago, and
for them to be forced virtually by the military that they cannot
guarantee the safety of their workers, they have to concede to the
demand of the military [for an] additional six weeks.
Now since those six weeks are within the constitutional
time allowed, this was why we came and asked our supporters to remain
calm and resolute and obey the laws.
Amanpour: Okay General, let me ask you
because you’re a former military general: You were ruling the country
briefly. Why is it that the Nigerian military today cannot take on Boko
Haram and have failed to combat that terrorist organisation?
Buhari: Well this has been made much more
clear when the National Assembly attempted to conduct a hearing after
the soldiers were giving interviews to foreign media about being sent to
the front without proper weapons. The National Assembly attempted to
conduct a hearing by getting the budgets approved by the National
Assembly over the last three years and inviting the service chiefs to
come and tell them [why the] weapons were not procured and sent to the
soldiers — and competent leadership. And that hearing was scuttled.
So in short, it’s the misapplication or misappropriation of
the resources provided by the government for weapons. That’s why the
Nigerian military was unable to defeat Boko Haram.
Amanpour: General, you today just got a
huge endorsement from a former ally of President Jonathan. That is the
former president Obasanjo. How do you react to that, I mean what would
that do for your campaign?
Buhari: Well it would certainly bring more
supporters to us and more confidence again to us from those who were
sitting on the fence, because General Obasanjo is highly respected and
as far as Nigerians [issues are] concerned, there’s no serious issue
that can be discussed without people seeking for his opinion and
listening to it.
Amanpour: Can I now ask you about yourself
because headlines around the world are portraying this election as a
choice between a failed president and a former dictator — and you’re the
former dictator according to these headlines.
You know, people say — and they remember — that you
expelled 700,00 migrants years ago thinking that would create jobs, that
you’ve banned political meetings and free speech, that you’ve detained
thousands of people, secret tribunals, executing people for crimes that
were not capital offences. Have you changed or is this what the Nigerian
people have to look forward to?
Buhari: Well all those things you
mentioned, with a degree of accuracy of actually what happened, was then
under a military administration, and when that military adminstration
came under my leadership, we — the military — suspended the part of the
constitution that we felt would be difficult for us to operate under
those circumstances. So I think I’m being judged harshly as an
individual that what happened during the military administration can be
extended under a multiparty democracy system.
Amanpour: Okay so now you say you’re a
democrat. What do you think you can do to combat Boko Haram and to
combat the galloping corruption in your country?
Buhari: Well, Boko Haram, we know how it
started. Certainly the Nigerian military that built our reputation
internationally for effectiveness, it’s a great embarrassment to them
and to the country that they haven’t been able to secure [Nigeria’s]
territory of an area of 14 local governments out of 774 local
governments.
I believed this problem will not be too difficult for [our]
APC government because we know the Nigerian military is competent. It’s
a question of making sure the money voted for equipment and training
[is] properly utilised.
Amanpour: About corruption, there’s so
many complaints from many people around your country about massive
corruption they say. Can you face up against them? Are you committed to
rooting out corruption?
Buhari: We have to, because there are
serious citizens of this country that say unless Nigeria kills
corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria. And that’s best illustrated by
another hearing conducted by the National Assembly on pension fund,
electricity and then the corruption in the petroleum industry from where
the country derives over 90% in external revenue.
The National Assembly conducted a hearing here in Abuja and
in the six geopolitical zones of the country, then they took the
recommendation to the executive. And it’s been collecting dust for the
past 18 months.
Election 2015: Jega appeared, educate Senate on use of card readers
Still ongoing. Further Details later.
Boko haram leader, Shekau fumes says “This election will not hold…”
In the ninth minute of the video which lasted for 11 minutes 57 seconds, Shekau began to talk about Nigeria’s election, stating that, it will not hold in peace.
“This election will not be held even if we are dead. Even if we are not alive Allah will never allow you to do it,” Shekau said in the Hausa language, presumably referring to the polls scheduled for March 28.
He also claimed a weekend attack in Gombe which the military says was repelled.
“And these words are our reply to the current issue that people are talking about,” Shekau said in apparent response to the accusations and counter-accusations regarding election postponement.
“Allah will not let you people hold this election because you people are saying that ‘authority’ people ruling each other,” he said.
He disputed the military’s account of the Gombe clashe claiming that his fighters overran troops and freed insurgents from prison.
Nigeria’s general election had been scheduled for February 14 but was postponed by six weeks with the security services saying they needed more time to contain the violence in the North east, Boko Haram’s stronghold.
Bayelsa women who visited Jonathan's wife, to be given mass burial
According to reports by SaharaReporters, the decision to give the 11 women a mass burial was reached after pathologists told family members that standard test carried out on the charred remains of the women would take up to 6weeks to ascertain their true identities, a time the family members said was too long to wait.
Most of the victim’s families couldn’t identify their loved one.
May their souls continue to rest.
Governor Amaechi alleged, APC rally in Okrika was disrupt by Jonathan's wife
“Clearly the wife of the president does not want APC to campaign in her home, Okrika,” Amaechi said.
Amaechi who spoke to journalists in Abuja after a meeting of APC leaders at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre condemned the act of violence and expressed disappointment over the inability of law enforcement agents’ to ensure a hitch free campaign for the APC, despite having earlier assured the party of security and gave approval for the campaign to hold.
“Again, as usual, the wife of the president won’t allow the APC hold rally in that place (Okrika). The wife of the president and the governorship candidate of Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP in Rivers again organized thugs to disrupt APC rally. As usual, the police couldn’t protect us, we are talking about over 200 policemen. I asked the commissioner of police and he said they have over 200 policemen there.
“Yet, three explosions and then they opened fire on members of APC. The ChannelsTV reporter I hear, is injured, stabbed, and members of APC injured,” he said.
“We had meetings with DSS (Directorate of State Security) and police and they confirmed we could go ahead. There were 200 policemen and there were over 20 to 30 DSS men who came there and they did nothing,” Amaechi said.
Asked if Rivers state is ready to conduct elections, he said, “you should ask the President that question. He can postpone national election”.
meanwhile the APC gubernatoria candidate have also put the blame on the president's wife and PDP for unleashing violence on innocent citizen who came out for his campaign.
APC now in majority, aftermath of yesterday defection
The defected members are Tobias Okwuru and Peter Ali, both from Ebonyi, to Labour Party, and Chinenye Ike from Abia, to All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA). Others are Micah Umoh and Robinson Uwak, both from Akwa Ibom, who defected to Accord Party and All Progressives Alliance (APC), respectively, and Ibrahim Garba from Jigawa, who also defected to APC.
The media reports with the latest defections, APC now has 181 members, the highest number of lawmakers in the House. It is followed by PDP with 156 members and other political parties, 23 members. It would be recalled that the membership of the House released on January 14 after the defection of 10 lawmakers to various political parties showed that APC had 179 members, PDP, 162 while other parties had 19.
Based on this recent development, the Deputy Minority Leader, Abdulrahman Kawu from Kano, raised a point of order, saying that APC members should occupy the positions of House Leader and Deputy House Leader. He also said the positions of the Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip should also be occupied by the APC in accordance with the rules of the House.
However, the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, ruled that the matter should not be discussed as it was before the court.
Coroner’s inquest: T.B Joshua fines N25,000 by Court
Komolafe is the coroner probing the September 12, 2014 building collapse in the premises of SCOAN in Ikotun, Lagos which led to the death of 116 persons, mostly South Africans.
Justice Lateefa Okunnu, while awarding the cost against Joshua on Tuesday, berated the prophet for “wasting the time of the court and tax payers’ money.”
The judge expressed displeasure that the matter, which was filed in December last year, had been bogged down in several adjournments at the instance of Joshua.
Tuesday 17 February 2015
Obasanjo drop more "bombs" says Nigerian military now another arm of PDP
The Tweets:
Recently, one Captain Sagir Koli of the Nigerian Army has released an audio recording where top Nigerian military officers took active party in rigging of Ekiti State governorship election in favour of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
Monday 16 February 2015
Obasanjo escape PDP expulsion,dumps party
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dumped the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Mr. Obasanjo on Monday announced his decision to leave the party at his residence in Abeokuta, saying he was no more a politician, but would remain a statesman. The former president indicated his decision came ahead of a plan by the party to dismiss him, possibly for alleged anti-party activities. Mr. Obasanjo had been engaged in a running feud with President Goodluck Jonathan whom he accused of failing in leadership and encouraging corruption. He also accused the president of plotting to stir trouble in the country resulting in a military takeover, if he loses upcoming elections. Last week, Mr. Obasanjo endorsed Mr. Jonathan’s challenger, Muhammadu Buhari. Mr. Jonathan in turn, on Saturday, accused the former president of working to create an Interim National Government, which he hopes to head. “They said they want to expel me from PDP, although I have not been told but I have my ears on ground. We’ve been trying to run away from a man but he pleads we wait for him at the other side of the river. I have told you before that I became president on the platform of PDP, once I leave PDP I will not join any party,” he told journalists. “I will only be a Nigerian, I am ready to work with anybody regardless of political affiliation. Why would some people say they want to send me away, they don’t need to bother themselves, here’s your membership card, take it,” Mr. Obasanjo said, before dumping his membership card which was later torn by a member of the party from his ward. “From today on, in the presence of all us and with your support, I am not going to be in any political party in Nigeria. I am no more a politician but a statesman both internally and externally. The issued that they want to expel me from the party for, once you people are with me what other people am I looking for,” he said
Saturday 7 February 2015
How we were used to rig elections,Nigerian Army Captain who leaked Ekiti poll tape speaks
According to saharareporters, A Nigerian Army Captain, who leaked the audio evidence of how some
top officials of the Federal Government and the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, used the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to rig
the governorship election in Ekiti and Osun States last year, has spoken
out about the matter.
In a statement entitled: “How Nigerian Army personnel were used to
rig Ekiti and Osun States Gubernatorial Elections 2014″, Captain Sagir
Koli gave details of all that transpired between himself, his commanding
officer, two ministers and some politicians prior to the elections in
Ekiti state.
He also spoke about the elaborate plans made to replicate the Ekiti scenario in Osun state last August.
See the full text of his submission below:
Staff In Confidence
How the Nigerian Army personal were used to Rig Ekiti and Osun States Gubernatorial Elections 2014:
1. I was officially deployed as the 32, Artillery Brigade
Intelligence Officer to provide credible Intelligence to the success of
Ekiti State governorship election. At about 2030 hours on June 2014, a
day to the election proper, the commander, Brigadier General AA Momoh
told me to escort him to a place where the State Minister for Defence
wanted to see him.
Reaching the place (Spotless Hotel in Ado- Ekiti), which serves as
coordinating campaign office for the PDP candidate Mr. Ayodele Fayose,
we met the Minister himself, Minister of Police Affairs, Mr Fayose, Mr.
Iyiola Omisore, one Honoruable Abdulkareem and host of other top PDP
chieftains.
The Outcome of what was discussed that gave the party victory during the election are as follows:
A. They told brigade commander that they are on presidential
assignment and they cannot afford to fail. Also, they told him that they
were there to remove any obstacles that would block their victory and
the commander is the key; therefore, he has no option but to collaborate
with them. They said, if the commander play(ed) with them, his
promotion is in their hands and the president and the chief of army
Staff would be very angry with him and he knows what that means.
B. They directed that soldiers on election duty must work hand in
hand with the PDP agents and give them all the necessary support they
needed without limitation.
C. They ordered the arrest of selected APC stalwarts that could
greatly assist the party during the election including the DG campaign
organisation for Dr Fayemi Mr. Bimbo Daramola. APC members in Ekiti
State should be interviewed of what they went through. We were forced to
do a dirty job for them with a threat of court martial.
D. They directed that soldiers must block APC members’ access to the
electorates but all PDP supporters’ movement anywhere using a designated
sticker with inscription, “National Security Task” it should be noted
that some of these PDP agents were given NYSC uniforms because we were
well briefed by the commander.
E. Chief Chris Uba who also said he was from the presidency entered
Ado- Ekiti a day to the election accompanied by 16 commissioned Army
officers (Major and blow) led by Major Ujung of 82 Base Ammunitions
Depot from Nigeria Army 82 Division Enugu. Their major task was to
effect arrest and move secret materials and money. This money was
brought from CBN Umuahia.
F. Chief Chris Uba was physically present with the soldiers and the
commander at Forward Operational Base (FOB) close to government house in
Ado- Ekiti. He personally supervised the movement of the strike force.
This act of a civilian directing military operation is highly
unprofessional and tarnishing of the military discipline and
regimentation.
G. Chief Chris Uba entered Ado-Ekiti a day to the election
accompanied by military/police escort with 2 black tinted Hilux Vans
with “secret” materials according to him. Items inside the vans were
1000/500 Naria notes closed and cloned marked ballot papers.
H. Chris Uba, Minster of police Affairs, Obanikoro and Co said this
is just a test run that should not fail and its to be done in SS and SW
states, moreover, Rivers State to make sure Rotimi Ameachi bow to the
federal government.
2. Based on the aforementioned, they succeeded in rigging the Ekiti
State election with victory in all the 16 LGAs. These really inspired
them and they were with the euphoria that same would happen in Osun
State. In preparation of the plans, they confirmed the posting of the
commander and task him to prepare for Osun State election (remember that
Osun State is not part of 32 Artillery Brigade Area of operations) but
they ordered the Nigerian Army Construction Engineers Commander
Brigadier General Adeyemi to proceed for 3 weeks compulsory leave until
after the election just to pave way for General Momah to repeat the same
dirty work that he has done to them in Ekiti State.
3. In build-up towards the Osun State elections, the commander
directed me as his intelligence officer who has worked with him
perfectly in Ekiti State to go ahead and recce the area as well as
familiarize myself with all stake holders for the election.
While I and my team were working for the operations, the commander
was in Abuja re-strategizing how to use the military to rig the
elections. Feelers based on my discussion with him on phone confirmed to
me beyond reasonable doubt that we were repeating the same compromise
in Osun State. My heart got burnt and become disenchanted and in total
disagreement with such being professional junior officer aspiring to
become a General tomorrow.
4. However efforts to explain my grievances prove abortive due to the
military dictatorial hierarchy in channel of communication vis a vis
threat of court martial from the commander. I resorted to alert the APC
high level officials with the aim of stopping Army from partisan
involvement during election. A week to the election, the commander came
back from Abuja and he made revelations being their final arrangement on
how the PDP was to become victorious in Osun state as follows:
A. After welcome address by the commander, he thanked all his staff
officers, and said “you all know who we are working for, so you guys
MUST follow my direction. I am working for the presidency and the ruling
party as you all know, is no longer a hidden thing” for those of you
who are moles among us, the presidency is watching you, be careful
because the consequence will be severe. I learnt that some of you went
to Lagos and met with Tinubu without knowing that his line is already
bugged at Abuja, then we are in trouble, but before somebody will kill
me I have to kill him first” (referring to me). The commander asked how
many of us were involved, that I should say the truth, he now held a
secret talk with the operation officer and military police officer to
tie and handcuff me to Army HQs, from there I know that my life was in
danger.
B. The commander categorically told us that the soldiers were to work
under PDP agents while their platoon commanders only supervise the
soldiers conduct. He briefed the officers that were working the list of
agents and those to be arrested at the SGF office in Abuja and once the
list is out everybody must work with accordingly.
C. The commander briefed us on the formation of a strike-force in
conjunction with police, DSS and NSCDC and he would command the strike
force directly. Their duty was to work directly with the PDP aspirant
for arrest and intimidation of APC supporters in their strong hold.
D. Money was shared openly at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp Ede to the strike force to ensure compliance.
5. Having said all of the above, I must state before concluding that:
A, My brother Adamu Koli a 15yrs old school boy was under detention
since on the 2nd August 2014. The boy stays with me at 32 Artillery
Brigade Akure.
B. Brigadier General AM Dikko who they consulted initially for the
scam insisted that the army must remain professional and apolitical, was
disgracefully removed from his command which he served only for 7
months just to allow General Momoh to carry out the dirty work.
6. Last but not the least, to further substantiate my submission and
how my dear-loving, hard-achieving noble calling was
de-professionalized; here is the recorded voices of the Ministers, the
aspirant and the Brigade Commander. Other officers present at the hotel
were Major Aliyu and captain Adegoke who were also part of the officers
that escorted commander to the venue where the compromise was made. Also
conversation between the commander and Abuja could be traced via MTN,
GLO, on the under listed phone numbers (between 20-21 June 2014).
A. 08037033694
B. 08055832835
7,Lastly, in order to strengthen the unity and continue existence of
Nigeria, I call on the federal Government to desist from using the
military for partisan politics. This is to avoid the military from being
divided along ethnic and regional lines which is dangerous to the
defence of the nation. I remain a patriotic Nigerian and a loyal
professional Army officer,
God bless you all
Thank you for listening. Captain Sagir Koli
Friday 6 February 2015
Election Postponement: INEC to decide on saturday
A statement Friday by Kayode Idowu, the spokesperson of INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega, said after meetings, “the Commission will address a press conference to brief the nation on its decision with regard to whether or not the general elections will hold as currently scheduled”.
Mr. Jega had on Thursday briefed the National Council of States on the preparedness of the Commission to conduct the 2015 general elections.
He made a presentation titled, Preparations for the 2015 General Elections: Progress Report.
The National Security Adviser, NSA, Sambo Dasuki, and Armed Services Chiefs also briefed the Council on the current security situation.
Mr. Jega had informed the council that the commission was in a better position to conduct the election at present compared to the 2011 election.
“Compared with the 2011 General Elections, for instance, our systems are definitely more robust. We believe that we are ready for the elections as planned,” Mr. Jega said.
Osun Election Tribunal: Aregbesola Floor Omisore, PDP
The Osun State Election Tribunal headed by Justice Elizabeth Ipejime, Friday in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, declared Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the winner of the August 9, 2014 governorship election in the state. Governor Aregbesola had defeated his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP rival, Senator Iyiola Omisore in the keenly contested election scoring 392, 284 votes to the 292, 742 ballots that Omisore got. However, the results were contested by Omisore and his party who both opted to challenge same at the tribunal. At the time the judgment was delivered, the duo of Aregbesola and Omisore were absent in court although their party agents represented them.
Detailed Analysis later…
The Transcript of the Rigged Ekiti state Governorship Election Debacle
The gubernatorial election in Ekiti State, Nigeria, took place on the 21st June, 2014. The
two main contenders were Ayo Fayose and Kayode Fayemi from the PDP and APC respectively.
All those present are upset by the failings of the military to execute their plan of
intimidation and electoral fraud in line with what was agreed/ordered by the President of
Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chief of Army Staff of the Federation. All those present
are expressing their disapproval of the job done to date to the to the Brg General in
charge of the operations.
Below is a transcript of a recording of a secret meeting that took place on the night before the
election.
Those present in the hotel room were:
* Governor Ayo Fayose – Executive Governor of Ekiti
* Senator Iyiola Omisore
* Brig General Aliyu Momoh
* Senator Musiliu Obanikoro – Ex Minister of state for Defence
* Captain Sagir Koli
* Honourable AbdulKareem – Honourable member of the National Assembly
* Caleb Olubolade – Minister of Police Affairs
And the conversation went forth:
During the conversation strategies/plans to intimidate voters and perform electoral fraud
were discussed in detail. The key points are as follows:
* The use of the Nigerian military by the PDP to assist in electoral manipulation. This
includes:
* The creation of a list of APC members to arrest
* The use of stickers to be used to identify persons not to be harassed and detained by the
army
* Deployment of “Special Team” including a “Strike Force”
* The Minister of state of Defence bribing military personnel with the offer of promotion if
he carries out the “strategy”
* A gubernatorial candidate admitting to electoral fraud by copying voting material
provided by the INEC
* The reprimanding of military personnel for mistakenly detaining PDP members engaged
in electoral fraud
* The Minister explicitly states he was instructed by the President of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria to execute this plan.
* The Candidate Fayose explicitly states he was given assurances by the Chief of Army staff
to execute this plan.
Personalities
Musiliu Obanikoro :- One time high commission of Nigeria to Ghana, recently stepped
down as Minister of state for Defence Federal Republic of Nigeria to contest for a political
position. A card carrying member of the PDP.
Key Quotes
“Am not here for tea party, am on a special assignment by the President.”
“Then that Daramola (APC Fayemi Campaign Manager) I want him picked up in the
morning!”
“Look here, you can’t get promotion without me sitting on top of your military council. If I
am a happy man tomorrow night, the sky is your limit”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musiliu_Obanikoro
(profile)http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2014/06/21/ekitidecides-fayemis-campaigndirector-
arrested-by-soldiers/
(voice)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO2SyPkk52w
Ayo Fayose: – Present executive Governor of Ekiti state under the peoples democracy party
(PDP)
Key Quotes
“We agreed in Abuja on the modalities to work, we agreed on a sticker, that any vehicle
you see that sticker, you allow that sticker. That sticker is on those vehicles his own was
sent to him, mine was sent to me. The one by SSS was given to me to give to them there is
no vehicle that left this place without that sticker. The people you just dis-armed had that
sticker clear and clean.”
“Today they went to “efon” they carry all the ….. Where we are supposing to be collating,
the thing INEC gave to us, soft copies we now printed and everything, because they see
INEC thing on top of it, why is my contact man not with them, i said my contact man
would be sitting in the check point permanently. I convince this man to leave this people,
they were said to sit in the sun. They packed all the computers, it’s took me more than 2
hours to get this man to release this people.”
“Chief of army staff called me he told me, you are in safe hands, he [General Momoh]
would perform and if you have any issues, call me. He told me that i have made it clear to
him that I am Jonathan for this election.”
(Profile) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayo_Fayose
(Voice) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOce2g4O9XM
Senator Iyiola Omisore :- He was deputy Governor of Osun state 1999- 2003, a former
senator that reperesented Osun state 2003- 2009.A card carrying member of the peoples
democratic party (PDP) and gubernatorial candidate in recent Osun state election.
Key Quotes
“I would just say that we don’t have to argue this much, we have seen some lapses yes, its
just this evening. there is nothing happening now that we cannot contain before tomorrow
morning, there is nothing.so ba mi so fun general, we can be together on this matter. Your
boys can be overzealous and do things that are not sent.”
(Profile) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iyiola_Omisore
(Voice) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByzAuXi5k8k
Brigadier General Aliyu Momoh: – Commander of the Nigerian Army’s 32nd Artillery Brigade
Key Quotes
“We have strike force they just entered into the force. We can start arresting in the
afternoon.”
“There are about 6 special team. ( koro cuts in” your own team”) I have one. “strike force” I
have almost forty soldiers after deployment.”
“We have done a lot of arrest.”
“Let’s accept one thing, we want success, you know why i ask, if we have put only
policemen, we would have reach them together.”
http://www.thegazellenews.com/2014/06/19/ekiti-2014-sss-arrested-pdp-membersthumb-
printing-in-fayoses-dgs-hotel/
Honourable Abdul Kareem: – An Honourable of in the National Assembly of the federal
Republic of Nigeria.
“Momoh, you know me now, you are the one from Kogi nah, are you not the one from kogi,
(general cuts in ” am a stake holder is more in my heart than you. Don’t talk to me anyhow
please, don’t talk to me anyhow.”) Am not talking to you anyhow to, don’t talk to me
anyhow too; i won’t take it from you. Whom am are you talking to, am an honourable
member of the national assembly, do you know you are insulting me too? (koro cuts in ” sit
down general, sit down please”)who are you that you say am insulting you, if am in the
military, i would be a brigadier or general today. so what are you saying, am a member of
the national assembly. (koro cuts in: i dont like all this embarrasment,we all left our home
to come here, we are here for the same thing. i don’t like the way the honourable is
talking, i asked him to come here, if you are a member of the national assembly so, i was
once a senator too. show some respect.”)”
Caleb Olubolade: – He is a retired Navy Capt. He is presently the minister of Police Affiars
for the Federal republic of Nigeria
“Another thing, General relax sit down. You are a soldier man, you are working for us. You
have more shock absorber than we bloody civilian. Forget about that there are
something’s that are not clear to us. One – that your boys are dis-arming even the police.
(General “are the police for us? yes now! Yes now!”)”
!
(Profile) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omoniyi_Caleb_Olubolade
(Voice) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9XIaxRwjyA
TRANSCRIPT
TEXT STARTS
General:
Chief never belief me…………… he said OC mopol should handle them, we did. Now we
have nothing less than 500 vehicles, with specific instruction
Caleb Olubolade: Are your men carrying out instructions
Obanikoro: Let me tell you why your men are not carrying out instructions, why am saying
your men are not carrying out instructions. We came in just now and we saw so many
check points none of them stopped us. We had to be stopping and asking why they are not
stopping us, and while we are doing that, a lot of vehicles….. We had military men in our
convoy and police in our convoy, and yet we expected to stop and demand to know who is
inside.
Caleb Olubolade : several arrests
Fayose : Me I don’t want to be in this meeting, I don’t want to be in this meeting…. No
Obanikoro: Mo like i ru nko ba yi ( i don’t like this kind of thing). Take it easy… hmmm…
Obanikoro: why he’s been angry, he said you (you referring to General) have been dodgy.
That he’s (he referring to Fayose) been trying to meet you that you have always been
giving excuses
General: I understand His Excellency problem. ….. it’s not because you are here sir. In
fact if I start crying now….. No no no….wait! Wait! Wait! … Do I know you? We met
yesterday!….. The only person that can tell you the truth is Chief disu, the truth… In fact
I handed over…. 5 hours he was with me in the field, and he’s still in the field up till now.
Do you understand?
Obanikoro: Can you excuse us.
General: The problem we are having is that they should control it…..
Hon AbdulKareem: When you are there, how many people did you take from this things
ObaniKoro : (Clarification) That were arrested?
General: Including the chairman? The governor called me and said……
Caleb Olubolade : But they said that issue of the chairman….. Because they just called
me from (koro cuts in “you know what I want you to do now” )…. am coming…. the issue
of the chairman of “oyen local government”. They just called us now that you have done
very well when the man was arrested in “Faki” but, that you brought him, arrested him
that he was thoroughly beaten, and after sometimes u said u found gun…. (General cuts
in “it’s the police inspector”) but they have withdrawn all the police orderly of all this
local government……..
General: As of this afternoon we still had the Governor. Like this afternoon, we still going
for this something…. there is … like yesterday he still called me. “Chief uba” does not
belief have not compromise even you! Those are his emails’ know his problem, the
pressure is high (Koro cuts in “Absolutely and failure is not an option”).
Caleb Olubolade: We must not even fail in this…. because we have the people (Unidentified
Hausa man cuts in “oga sir!”)
General: No. No wait! You know who is pushing our principal; it’s all this people outside.
Caleb Olubolade: Another thing, General relax sit down. You are a soldier man, you are
working for us. You have more shock absorber than we bloody civilian. Forget about that
there are something’s that are not clear to us. One – that your boys are dis-arming even
the police. (General “are the police for us? Yes now! Yes now!”)
ObaniKoro: He must know that. Let him explain himself please
General: you see the problem, once u are doing this thing you’ll understand. You have
spend a lot of resources I must confess. As at this afternoon, the vehicle that have left this
emmmmm… is up to one hundred and forty (140), in segment. Chief ehn…… please,
came out with two (2)set of people unknown to them. They don’t know themself am not
the one that divide them o. He said ok, you go here, you go there. He now brought the list
they now sat down and said. What of this one we have strike force they just entered into
the force. We can’t start arresting in the afternoon.(koro cuts in “is in the night”) in fact
because of pressure, this chairman when he was beaten, he said they should bring him
here. Unknown to me that he has even called SS director because he had been…… myself
the AIG, the police all of us work together today and we decided today that by 6 o’clock
they block the road. He’s own men he put them under OC mobile who divided them and
we inserted soldiers civil defence army and even NDLEA, and oga told them that is the OC
Mobile that is ……. (koro cuts in “duro nor” wait!)
ObaniKoro : I don’t want to keep you here more than necessary, because we are not alone
in this thing, we have to be seen to be fair, even if we have a direction that tomorrow we
want to achieve. Your excellency, we are here because of you, and it is you I want to
please. Momoh is here before you let us give him an assignment (fayose cut in “let me)
Fayose: This brigadier general I was governor of this state 12 years ago, you would
probably be a captain or a major, but we give God all the glory. When you talk to this man
he would argue from morning to night. What we want to eat does not allow us to know our
right. Number two, my younger brother retired in the army as brigadier general, when you
explain to this man, its argument, argument, argument. Today, we met and agreed on how
to work, myself, Omisore and all the head. We agreed on a strategy to use, and the nine
(9) that would join us and all you expect me to do, I have done. Before this incident
happened even as at Tuesday, our member are being matcheted and treated like nobody,
of late sir, have been calling you for the past three hours, to tell you that “Bimbo
Daramola” is doing rally in his home town, and they are brandishing gun, what does it take
you to make this arrest since sir? number two (2) I was the one who called you to tell you
that they have arrested a par…. arishe gave me that information, because its was in front
of arishe’s place. Fayemi was going on with 27 car convoy; I was the one who called you
that they arrested “Fayemi” council chairman with gun, by and large. “kabiyesi oke mesin”
and “Akin omole” MD of NAS before, calling that our community is flooded. (koro cut in ”
are you taking note, I need you to take note” person 1: yes sir!”).
Honourable AbdulKareem (comes in) :They are the ones, there this thing in “Ikare Ekiti”
there is breakdown of everything “o ti ju bi fun awon omo onike” look this is a very serious
situation (Caleb Olubolade cuts in “awon olopa?) Sitting down with this man would mess
this election up for you. (koro cuts in “no no no”).
Koro: Who dis-arm who? Why were they dis-armed?
Caleb Olubolade: listen koro, I was asking you one question one time. (Senator Omisore
cuts in “they have collected money. The police now that are working, they are dis-arming
them too.”) I asked one question from you, why was our police men dis-armed, you now
answer are they working with us? I want you to continue from that place. Its means you
are the one giving them info
General: Yes! You know why I said so? It’s a very simple question; if… you know when I saw Chief, Chris Uba I was so happy, because he came. The people that are on the field now
are people we briefed, not only soldiers, not only soldiers, SF were there now any vehicle
you see now we have….. a Hilux carry about 8 men its mix together. You don’t know the
directives, you don’t know the situation they found those police men. The vehicle that left
now, under “OC Mopol” from my own with Chris Uba in charge and myself and three of us,
it’s almost 140.
ObaniKoro: You know what, wait! we cannot keep this man here indefinitely, we can’t
keep him here indefinitely. He has said there is a team based on your instruction that is
going round now(fayose cuts in “can’t you let me talk, how can he say that, can you let me
talk am not a small boy!”).
Fayose: we agreed in Abuja on the modalities to work, we agreed on a sticker. That any
vehicle you see that sticker, you allow that sticker. That sticker is on those vehicles his
own was sent to him, mine was sent to me. The one by SSS was given to me to give to
them there is no vehicle that left this place without that sticker. The people you just disharmed
had that sticker clear and clean. Today they went to “efon” they carry all the…..
Where we are supposing to be collating, the thing INEC gave to us, soft copies we now
printed and everything, because they see INEC thing on top of it, why is my contact man
not with them, i said my contact man would be sitting in the check point permanently. i
convince this man to leave this people, they were said to sit in the sun. they packed all
the computers, its took me more than 2 hours to get this man to release this people. we
have been subjected to serious embarrassment, (Caleb Olubolade cuts in ” then what we
have been told is that the army have been compromised”) they have been compromise.
They are now dis-arming police too that want to work, in my local government, my own
local government the same thing. today, they were sharing money in the government
house, i called them, people in the government house who loves us were taking pictures
how they were putting money in envelopes, i called them, did everything, instead its our
own rebel that is arrested co-incidentally, it’s the money i wanted to go and give to him.
(General cuts in “your excellency, have you finished sir?”)This is un-becoming….
General: Governor house yesterday, we were together, (koro cuts in, we have a challenge
on our hands, how do we resolve this challenge? I am here, the governor is here, when we
call you, we want action, it’s should not take 2 hours to get action”)
Koro: we have a challenge on our hands, how do we resolve this challenge? I am here, the
governor is here, when we call you, we want action, it’s should not take 2 hours to get
action, the governor said he called you, somebody was detained for over 2 hours, i want
to know who asked to be dis-harming those people.
General: Test my integrity; was I in your local government yesterday? (Un-identified Hausa
Man: yes sir, general: what did i tell you?)
Un-identified Hausa man: sir, the commander was there, he gave us contact and he
directed that only those contacts we should contact to, any other person, we should not
listen to. (fayose cuts in ” the contact was with you this afternoon? The contact was with
you “owoeye standing by you”)
Fayose : The contact was with you this afternoon owoye, the contact was standing by you,
and you are still questioning me. The contacts owoeye was telling you on the other line,
that that the man is with you, 30 – 40 minutes after, they were still kept there. you now
told me that i expect contact, is it too much? That in 24hrs, that the contact cannot stay
with eehhh.. That the contact cannot stay like that (general cuts in “you are misinterpreting
all this” un-identified Hausa man cuts in “sir! sir, the commander said that we
must deliver by all means, and that’s the directives they gave to us (koro cuts in ” if you
dont work with who you are supposed to work with……. its becomes a credibility to us.”)
Fayose: Excuse sir, I told Chief Uba, that am …… that he should send me some soldiers that should go with me, because of a long stage, this one came i told him that where is
he, he said he cannot come inside. did you not tell me that? oya talk now ? (koro cuts in ”
that he was reluctant to come inside”) i said well, i would not go and meet him outside
ooo. Invariably, he came inside, i said sit down. i now called him, i said what instruction
did you give to your guy? what instruction did you give to your guy? (general talks ” which
instruction did i give to you when you are coming ?” un-identified Hausa man answers “you
said that i should come, when his excellency is going home, i should escort him, and any
other thing he needs tomorrow during the election, we should provide it, that’s all!”) if he
want to spoil it, let him tie his head, because we are going to wage war against him. The
war is eminent. i was in my house, “chief of army staff” call me, and told me he has
briefed him, and gave me his number because i never met him before. He told me, you
are in safe hands; he would perform, and if you have any issues, call me. He told me that i
have made it clear to him that i am Jonathan for this election. Chief of army staff told
me, have never met him before in my life. He only called me with the instruction from the
villa. Each time we explain this this to this man, he porous, everything is porous.
Caleb Olubolade: anyway, i don’t want us to….. where we are now general, we held so
many meetings, that i don’t belief we should be in this situation now. The idea of having
headship, is that everybody should work together. under no circumstances what so ever is
for anyone to be dis-armed number one. number 2 is that, (general cuts in: excuse me sir
this dis-harming of a thing, is it the thing that led to eemmmh…. am a commander (koro
cuts in : wait, the guy just left with the lady, the team that left here as we are being told,
are being dis-armed, that’s why we are worried.
Fayose: we even said this stickers must not be shared until its 4 o’clock.( general cuts in: when did we share the stickers? un- identified Hausa man answered: by 16:00hrs”) the guys
that just left just called that the soldiers have dis-harmed us, that they were as good as
beating us. I asked did they not see the stickers, they said the stickers are there. we
showed them (general cuts in :did i not tell you about stickers yesterday? “)
Un-identified Hausa man : you did sir.
General: what did i tell you?
Un-identified Hausa man : that any vehicle carrying the stickers, that we should be left.
(Caleb Olubolade cuts in: are your boys carrying out your instructions? that was exactly
what i asked you?
General: i have 5 sections, i took my time yesterday (honourable AbdulKareem cuts in:” se
ko se pe awon people yi lo gba owo lo wo awon people yi?”)
Fayose: nko to won lo se ni yen!o ti wan se ni yen o!
Honourable AbdulKareem: you can’t do this. i have a stake in this. We are all stake
holders. (Everyone in the room echoes, we are all stake holders”)
Fayose: We have to call the president and let him know. This people are doing
somethings.they would not even serve police that wants to help us, we can’t continue like
this.(general cuts in ” are you working with a different police?”)
Honourable AbdulKareem: Momoh, you know me now, you are the one from kogi nah, are
you not the one from kogi, (general cuts in ” am a stake holder is more in my heart than
you. Don’t talk to me anyhow please, dont talk to me anyhow.”) Am not talking to you
anyhow to, don’t talk to me anyhow too, i won’t take it from you. whom am are you
talking to, am an honourable member of the national assembly, do you know you are
insulting me too? (koro cuts in ” sit down general, sit down please”)who are you that you
say am insulting you, if am in the military, i would be a brigadier or general today. so what
are you saying, am a member of the national assembly. (koro cuts in: i don’t like all this
embarrasment,we all left our home to come here, we are here for the same thing. i don’t
like the way the honourable is talking, i asked him to come here, if you are a member of
the national assembly so, i was once a senator too. show some respect.”)
Koro: i won’t say a word, i would allow you to talk, but i want to sound a note of warning.
This man, we cannot keep him here indefinitely. let us make progress, give him
instructions on what we want him to do, let him go and do it, let us monitor him, and
make sure those things are done, cause as he’s seated here, other people are monitoring
his movement (person 2 “God bless you sir”) give him instructions. (Person 4 cuts in “let
me just say something”) Let the senator land.
Senator Omisore: i would just say that we don’t have to argue this much, we have seen
some lapses yes, its just this evening. there is nothing happening now that we cannot
contain before tomorrow morning, there is nothing.so ba mi so fun general, we can be
together on this matter. your boys can be overzealous and do things that are not sent,
(koro cuts in “and some can be compromise too.”) yes! What am saying momoh is that, at
this level, any information that you hear from us, we are on ground here, move swiftly to
those information, and act number one. Instead of you defending them even blindly. You
go and find out what is really happening there. We have areas that are faulty areas, look
into it, “ikere”, “ilawe”. Let them confirm what is happening there. My friend major is
looking to “oke-mesin” himself.
Koro: Do you have a special team?
General: there are about 6 special team. ( koro cuts in” your own team”) i have one.
“Strike force” i have almost forty soldiers after deployment.
Koro : the idea of calling you, and not getting reactions we have to stop that now, you
must bring that to an end. When we call you, within the next 5 – 10 minutes, we need to
know what has been done about it, and we want to get the full feedback on what has
been done. all those that has been dis-armed, tell your men they must release them.
(person 4 cuts in “they don’t dis-armed anyone again”) and then put 2 or 3 of your men in
charge of that. That before anybody is dis-armed; they call that person for clearance.
That person would call in, and if they say they should not, nobody is dis-armed. If he say
that they should go ahead, nobody know them, go ahead and dis-armed them. Then that
daramola i want him picked up in the morning, (person 4 cuts in: “no in the night, tonight!
daramola and commissioner for finance”) daramola is in which local govt.
General: sir, we have done a lot of arrest.me and oga chris.(person 4 cuts in : i know”)
Koro: i understand.
General: what am saying is that, it’s the pressure.
Koro: wait! Wait! Your excellency, give him your token so that we can go.
Fayose: o ni number mi. he has my number.
Koro: the people you want them to take control of would arrest before the morning, can
make their list and their local government go and bring it.(general cuts in: that chairman
now, he’s already with SS now.”) let me tell you, they say there is one place that has been
flooded “ecomog” from osun “omisore cuts in: that’s oke-mesin, he spoke to the oba of
oke-mesin” that oba, you must ensure, that those people are flushed out.”
Omisore: oke mesin.
General: Oke-mesin where? (omisore cuts in” he knows the place”) oh, i know oke-mesin
very well.
Koro: who is that one gonna brief, (Un-Identified hausa man in “captain aja, he is already there. i gave him the number ehhhh. i gave him the number of akin.”) oh akin is there.
General: Daramola is which local government?
Koro :Oye local government, don’t go an give very conflicting ki ni o. i don’t want you to stay here for to long
General: yes sir!
Koro: They would be talking to you on the phone (general cuts in” yes sir.”) Nobody is
monitoring you; i don’t want a situation they would say you have come here.
Omisore: i want you to notice that when the governor was going, he went with about
twenty something vehicles.(koro cuts in “the governor told him that already”)
Koro: that should not be happening on the eve of election
Honourable AbdulKareem : awon ti won ba se meeting nko ni tantalizer? (general cuts in :”you are the one nah, its chris”)
General: Lets accept one thing, we want success, you know why i ask, if we have put only
policmen, we would have reach them together. in the presence of chief chris, i said if we
dont deliver. since yesterday we’ve been hammering it. He just left. Now am the one that
pick up the chairman of oyen local govt. if am compromise, the governor doesn’t have my
number. Is the chief that he telling me that he’s been asking for my number from him? As a
general, i can’t pretend like he does not want to give money.
Koro: general sir, it’s not about you, it’s your men in the field,(general cuts in “we
checkmate them”) ehnnn..it’s for you to continue to find out what they are doing.(general
cuts in ” sir, what you need to do now, don’t listen to people texting, Chris is talking to me
and my men, sir you sent me a message that somebody is behind the
negotiating………what i want to do is, we are going to form a group, a one group. Have
told chief yesterday that am not working again, that he should be in touch, he said he’s
coming to my place.”
General: voting has not started, the plan has been briefed, i told this man in uniform
yesterday, i don’t know which state he’s from. i took my time within 2 days when that
thing happened, i went round and my brief to them is deliver or you would be sanctioned,
and i told them if this my is your contact point, if they say follow here follow. Tell me any
soldier man that is staying in any of the opponent hotel. We have asset we are not using
it. the governor, our excellency, i know his problem i never knew until…… when oga chief
came to me, he looked at me if its money he said he would give to me, have given my
soldiers, their morale are high.(koro cuts in:” don’t talk too much, i want you to go and
work and deliver for us. look here, you can’t get promotion without me sitting on top of
your military council. If am a happy man tomorrow night, the sky is your limit, and at the
end of the day if am unhappy….”)
Koro: am not here for tea party, am on a special assignment by the president (Caleb
Olubolade cuts in: “so that when next we have someone 2 send on special assignment, it’s
would be you. There is one thing i want to tell you, we are anticipating tomorrow, because
this people know we have people that want to vote for us tomorrow, this people might
come out with thugs to destabilize our people at the polling unit. we want you to work
with the police too, and arrest whoever wants to cause problem a any polling unit
People speaking for a while…….
Omisore : there is a contact man in wusi. Call that contact person now.
General: They are with the my soldiers,(fayose cuts in: “it’s not correct sir.”) gentlemen
listen both of you, i told pastor this evening how many local government is in our hands, i
called pastor this morning that please tell your men to follow my soldier one by one.
Fayose: If am working for you, if am working for you sir, i cannot be following you around sir. My people cannot be following you about. We don’t follow IG about, we don’t follow
police about. The “OC mopol” of this state is working for us, we don’t follow him about.
When we call him one hand we have this problem he settles it immediately. Last night, we
told him this is happening around the government house, he condone off all the 4
entrance off (general cuts in: ‘ i was the one oh”) you are not the one sir. (General cuts in
again:” i was the one who created road blocks, I was the officer on ground sir.”) When you
were coming this night, were you searched?
TEXT ENDS
two main contenders were Ayo Fayose and Kayode Fayemi from the PDP and APC respectively.
All those present are upset by the failings of the military to execute their plan of
intimidation and electoral fraud in line with what was agreed/ordered by the President of
Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chief of Army Staff of the Federation. All those present
are expressing their disapproval of the job done to date to the to the Brg General in
charge of the operations.
Below is a transcript of a recording of a secret meeting that took place on the night before the
election.
Those present in the hotel room were:
* Governor Ayo Fayose – Executive Governor of Ekiti
* Senator Iyiola Omisore
* Brig General Aliyu Momoh
* Senator Musiliu Obanikoro – Ex Minister of state for Defence
* Captain Sagir Koli
* Honourable AbdulKareem – Honourable member of the National Assembly
* Caleb Olubolade – Minister of Police Affairs
And the conversation went forth:
During the conversation strategies/plans to intimidate voters and perform electoral fraud
were discussed in detail. The key points are as follows:
* The use of the Nigerian military by the PDP to assist in electoral manipulation. This
includes:
* The creation of a list of APC members to arrest
* The use of stickers to be used to identify persons not to be harassed and detained by the
army
* Deployment of “Special Team” including a “Strike Force”
* The Minister of state of Defence bribing military personnel with the offer of promotion if
he carries out the “strategy”
* A gubernatorial candidate admitting to electoral fraud by copying voting material
provided by the INEC
* The reprimanding of military personnel for mistakenly detaining PDP members engaged
in electoral fraud
* The Minister explicitly states he was instructed by the President of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria to execute this plan.
* The Candidate Fayose explicitly states he was given assurances by the Chief of Army staff
to execute this plan.
Personalities
Musiliu Obanikoro :- One time high commission of Nigeria to Ghana, recently stepped
down as Minister of state for Defence Federal Republic of Nigeria to contest for a political
position. A card carrying member of the PDP.
Key Quotes
“Am not here for tea party, am on a special assignment by the President.”
“Then that Daramola (APC Fayemi Campaign Manager) I want him picked up in the
morning!”
“Look here, you can’t get promotion without me sitting on top of your military council. If I
am a happy man tomorrow night, the sky is your limit”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musiliu_Obanikoro
(profile)http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2014/06/21/ekitidecides-fayemis-campaigndirector-
arrested-by-soldiers/
(voice)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO2SyPkk52w
Ayo Fayose: – Present executive Governor of Ekiti state under the peoples democracy party
(PDP)
Key Quotes
“We agreed in Abuja on the modalities to work, we agreed on a sticker, that any vehicle
you see that sticker, you allow that sticker. That sticker is on those vehicles his own was
sent to him, mine was sent to me. The one by SSS was given to me to give to them there is
no vehicle that left this place without that sticker. The people you just dis-armed had that
sticker clear and clean.”
“Today they went to “efon” they carry all the ….. Where we are supposing to be collating,
the thing INEC gave to us, soft copies we now printed and everything, because they see
INEC thing on top of it, why is my contact man not with them, i said my contact man
would be sitting in the check point permanently. I convince this man to leave this people,
they were said to sit in the sun. They packed all the computers, it’s took me more than 2
hours to get this man to release this people.”
“Chief of army staff called me he told me, you are in safe hands, he [General Momoh]
would perform and if you have any issues, call me. He told me that i have made it clear to
him that I am Jonathan for this election.”
(Profile) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayo_Fayose
(Voice) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOce2g4O9XM
Senator Iyiola Omisore :- He was deputy Governor of Osun state 1999- 2003, a former
senator that reperesented Osun state 2003- 2009.A card carrying member of the peoples
democratic party (PDP) and gubernatorial candidate in recent Osun state election.
Key Quotes
“I would just say that we don’t have to argue this much, we have seen some lapses yes, its
just this evening. there is nothing happening now that we cannot contain before tomorrow
morning, there is nothing.so ba mi so fun general, we can be together on this matter. Your
boys can be overzealous and do things that are not sent.”
(Profile) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iyiola_Omisore
(Voice) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByzAuXi5k8k
Brigadier General Aliyu Momoh: – Commander of the Nigerian Army’s 32nd Artillery Brigade
Key Quotes
“We have strike force they just entered into the force. We can start arresting in the
afternoon.”
“There are about 6 special team. ( koro cuts in” your own team”) I have one. “strike force” I
have almost forty soldiers after deployment.”
“We have done a lot of arrest.”
“Let’s accept one thing, we want success, you know why i ask, if we have put only
policemen, we would have reach them together.”
http://www.thegazellenews.com/2014/06/19/ekiti-2014-sss-arrested-pdp-membersthumb-
printing-in-fayoses-dgs-hotel/
Honourable Abdul Kareem: – An Honourable of in the National Assembly of the federal
Republic of Nigeria.
“Momoh, you know me now, you are the one from Kogi nah, are you not the one from kogi,
(general cuts in ” am a stake holder is more in my heart than you. Don’t talk to me anyhow
please, don’t talk to me anyhow.”) Am not talking to you anyhow to, don’t talk to me
anyhow too; i won’t take it from you. Whom am are you talking to, am an honourable
member of the national assembly, do you know you are insulting me too? (koro cuts in ” sit
down general, sit down please”)who are you that you say am insulting you, if am in the
military, i would be a brigadier or general today. so what are you saying, am a member of
the national assembly. (koro cuts in: i dont like all this embarrasment,we all left our home
to come here, we are here for the same thing. i don’t like the way the honourable is
talking, i asked him to come here, if you are a member of the national assembly so, i was
once a senator too. show some respect.”)”
Caleb Olubolade: – He is a retired Navy Capt. He is presently the minister of Police Affiars
for the Federal republic of Nigeria
“Another thing, General relax sit down. You are a soldier man, you are working for us. You
have more shock absorber than we bloody civilian. Forget about that there are
something’s that are not clear to us. One – that your boys are dis-arming even the police.
(General “are the police for us? yes now! Yes now!”)”
!
(Profile) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omoniyi_Caleb_Olubolade
(Voice) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9XIaxRwjyA
TRANSCRIPT
TEXT STARTS
General:
Chief never belief me…………… he said OC mopol should handle them, we did. Now we
have nothing less than 500 vehicles, with specific instruction
Caleb Olubolade: Are your men carrying out instructions
Obanikoro: Let me tell you why your men are not carrying out instructions, why am saying
your men are not carrying out instructions. We came in just now and we saw so many
check points none of them stopped us. We had to be stopping and asking why they are not
stopping us, and while we are doing that, a lot of vehicles….. We had military men in our
convoy and police in our convoy, and yet we expected to stop and demand to know who is
inside.
Caleb Olubolade : several arrests
Fayose : Me I don’t want to be in this meeting, I don’t want to be in this meeting…. No
Obanikoro: Mo like i ru nko ba yi ( i don’t like this kind of thing). Take it easy… hmmm…
Obanikoro: why he’s been angry, he said you (you referring to General) have been dodgy.
That he’s (he referring to Fayose) been trying to meet you that you have always been
giving excuses
General: I understand His Excellency problem. ….. it’s not because you are here sir. In
fact if I start crying now….. No no no….wait! Wait! Wait! … Do I know you? We met
yesterday!….. The only person that can tell you the truth is Chief disu, the truth… In fact
I handed over…. 5 hours he was with me in the field, and he’s still in the field up till now.
Do you understand?
Obanikoro: Can you excuse us.
General: The problem we are having is that they should control it…..
Hon AbdulKareem: When you are there, how many people did you take from this things
ObaniKoro : (Clarification) That were arrested?
General: Including the chairman? The governor called me and said……
Caleb Olubolade : But they said that issue of the chairman….. Because they just called
me from (koro cuts in “you know what I want you to do now” )…. am coming…. the issue
of the chairman of “oyen local government”. They just called us now that you have done
very well when the man was arrested in “Faki” but, that you brought him, arrested him
that he was thoroughly beaten, and after sometimes u said u found gun…. (General cuts
in “it’s the police inspector”) but they have withdrawn all the police orderly of all this
local government……..
General: As of this afternoon we still had the Governor. Like this afternoon, we still going
for this something…. there is … like yesterday he still called me. “Chief uba” does not
belief have not compromise even you! Those are his emails’ know his problem, the
pressure is high (Koro cuts in “Absolutely and failure is not an option”).
Caleb Olubolade: We must not even fail in this…. because we have the people (Unidentified
Hausa man cuts in “oga sir!”)
General: No. No wait! You know who is pushing our principal; it’s all this people outside.
Caleb Olubolade: Another thing, General relax sit down. You are a soldier man, you are
working for us. You have more shock absorber than we bloody civilian. Forget about that
there are something’s that are not clear to us. One – that your boys are dis-arming even
the police. (General “are the police for us? Yes now! Yes now!”)
ObaniKoro: He must know that. Let him explain himself please
General: you see the problem, once u are doing this thing you’ll understand. You have
spend a lot of resources I must confess. As at this afternoon, the vehicle that have left this
emmmmm… is up to one hundred and forty (140), in segment. Chief ehn…… please,
came out with two (2)set of people unknown to them. They don’t know themself am not
the one that divide them o. He said ok, you go here, you go there. He now brought the list
they now sat down and said. What of this one we have strike force they just entered into
the force. We can’t start arresting in the afternoon.(koro cuts in “is in the night”) in fact
because of pressure, this chairman when he was beaten, he said they should bring him
here. Unknown to me that he has even called SS director because he had been…… myself
the AIG, the police all of us work together today and we decided today that by 6 o’clock
they block the road. He’s own men he put them under OC mobile who divided them and
we inserted soldiers civil defence army and even NDLEA, and oga told them that is the OC
Mobile that is ……. (koro cuts in “duro nor” wait!)
ObaniKoro : I don’t want to keep you here more than necessary, because we are not alone
in this thing, we have to be seen to be fair, even if we have a direction that tomorrow we
want to achieve. Your excellency, we are here because of you, and it is you I want to
please. Momoh is here before you let us give him an assignment (fayose cut in “let me)
Fayose: This brigadier general I was governor of this state 12 years ago, you would
probably be a captain or a major, but we give God all the glory. When you talk to this man
he would argue from morning to night. What we want to eat does not allow us to know our
right. Number two, my younger brother retired in the army as brigadier general, when you
explain to this man, its argument, argument, argument. Today, we met and agreed on how
to work, myself, Omisore and all the head. We agreed on a strategy to use, and the nine
(9) that would join us and all you expect me to do, I have done. Before this incident
happened even as at Tuesday, our member are being matcheted and treated like nobody,
of late sir, have been calling you for the past three hours, to tell you that “Bimbo
Daramola” is doing rally in his home town, and they are brandishing gun, what does it take
you to make this arrest since sir? number two (2) I was the one who called you to tell you
that they have arrested a par…. arishe gave me that information, because its was in front
of arishe’s place. Fayemi was going on with 27 car convoy; I was the one who called you
that they arrested “Fayemi” council chairman with gun, by and large. “kabiyesi oke mesin”
and “Akin omole” MD of NAS before, calling that our community is flooded. (koro cut in ”
are you taking note, I need you to take note” person 1: yes sir!”).
Honourable AbdulKareem (comes in) :They are the ones, there this thing in “Ikare Ekiti”
there is breakdown of everything “o ti ju bi fun awon omo onike” look this is a very serious
situation (Caleb Olubolade cuts in “awon olopa?) Sitting down with this man would mess
this election up for you. (koro cuts in “no no no”).
Koro: Who dis-arm who? Why were they dis-armed?
Caleb Olubolade: listen koro, I was asking you one question one time. (Senator Omisore
cuts in “they have collected money. The police now that are working, they are dis-arming
them too.”) I asked one question from you, why was our police men dis-armed, you now
answer are they working with us? I want you to continue from that place. Its means you
are the one giving them info
General: Yes! You know why I said so? It’s a very simple question; if… you know when I saw Chief, Chris Uba I was so happy, because he came. The people that are on the field now
are people we briefed, not only soldiers, not only soldiers, SF were there now any vehicle
you see now we have….. a Hilux carry about 8 men its mix together. You don’t know the
directives, you don’t know the situation they found those police men. The vehicle that left
now, under “OC Mopol” from my own with Chris Uba in charge and myself and three of us,
it’s almost 140.
ObaniKoro: You know what, wait! we cannot keep this man here indefinitely, we can’t
keep him here indefinitely. He has said there is a team based on your instruction that is
going round now(fayose cuts in “can’t you let me talk, how can he say that, can you let me
talk am not a small boy!”).
Fayose: we agreed in Abuja on the modalities to work, we agreed on a sticker. That any
vehicle you see that sticker, you allow that sticker. That sticker is on those vehicles his
own was sent to him, mine was sent to me. The one by SSS was given to me to give to
them there is no vehicle that left this place without that sticker. The people you just disharmed
had that sticker clear and clean. Today they went to “efon” they carry all the…..
Where we are supposing to be collating, the thing INEC gave to us, soft copies we now
printed and everything, because they see INEC thing on top of it, why is my contact man
not with them, i said my contact man would be sitting in the check point permanently. i
convince this man to leave this people, they were said to sit in the sun. they packed all
the computers, its took me more than 2 hours to get this man to release this people. we
have been subjected to serious embarrassment, (Caleb Olubolade cuts in ” then what we
have been told is that the army have been compromised”) they have been compromise.
They are now dis-arming police too that want to work, in my local government, my own
local government the same thing. today, they were sharing money in the government
house, i called them, people in the government house who loves us were taking pictures
how they were putting money in envelopes, i called them, did everything, instead its our
own rebel that is arrested co-incidentally, it’s the money i wanted to go and give to him.
(General cuts in “your excellency, have you finished sir?”)This is un-becoming….
General: Governor house yesterday, we were together, (koro cuts in, we have a challenge
on our hands, how do we resolve this challenge? I am here, the governor is here, when we
call you, we want action, it’s should not take 2 hours to get action”)
Koro: we have a challenge on our hands, how do we resolve this challenge? I am here, the
governor is here, when we call you, we want action, it’s should not take 2 hours to get
action, the governor said he called you, somebody was detained for over 2 hours, i want
to know who asked to be dis-harming those people.
General: Test my integrity; was I in your local government yesterday? (Un-identified Hausa
Man: yes sir, general: what did i tell you?)
Un-identified Hausa man: sir, the commander was there, he gave us contact and he
directed that only those contacts we should contact to, any other person, we should not
listen to. (fayose cuts in ” the contact was with you this afternoon? The contact was with
you “owoeye standing by you”)
Fayose : The contact was with you this afternoon owoye, the contact was standing by you,
and you are still questioning me. The contacts owoeye was telling you on the other line,
that that the man is with you, 30 – 40 minutes after, they were still kept there. you now
told me that i expect contact, is it too much? That in 24hrs, that the contact cannot stay
with eehhh.. That the contact cannot stay like that (general cuts in “you are misinterpreting
all this” un-identified Hausa man cuts in “sir! sir, the commander said that we
must deliver by all means, and that’s the directives they gave to us (koro cuts in ” if you
dont work with who you are supposed to work with……. its becomes a credibility to us.”)
Fayose: Excuse sir, I told Chief Uba, that am …… that he should send me some soldiers that should go with me, because of a long stage, this one came i told him that where is
he, he said he cannot come inside. did you not tell me that? oya talk now ? (koro cuts in ”
that he was reluctant to come inside”) i said well, i would not go and meet him outside
ooo. Invariably, he came inside, i said sit down. i now called him, i said what instruction
did you give to your guy? what instruction did you give to your guy? (general talks ” which
instruction did i give to you when you are coming ?” un-identified Hausa man answers “you
said that i should come, when his excellency is going home, i should escort him, and any
other thing he needs tomorrow during the election, we should provide it, that’s all!”) if he
want to spoil it, let him tie his head, because we are going to wage war against him. The
war is eminent. i was in my house, “chief of army staff” call me, and told me he has
briefed him, and gave me his number because i never met him before. He told me, you
are in safe hands; he would perform, and if you have any issues, call me. He told me that i
have made it clear to him that i am Jonathan for this election. Chief of army staff told
me, have never met him before in my life. He only called me with the instruction from the
villa. Each time we explain this this to this man, he porous, everything is porous.
Caleb Olubolade: anyway, i don’t want us to….. where we are now general, we held so
many meetings, that i don’t belief we should be in this situation now. The idea of having
headship, is that everybody should work together. under no circumstances what so ever is
for anyone to be dis-armed number one. number 2 is that, (general cuts in: excuse me sir
this dis-harming of a thing, is it the thing that led to eemmmh…. am a commander (koro
cuts in : wait, the guy just left with the lady, the team that left here as we are being told,
are being dis-armed, that’s why we are worried.
Fayose: we even said this stickers must not be shared until its 4 o’clock.( general cuts in: when did we share the stickers? un- identified Hausa man answered: by 16:00hrs”) the guys
that just left just called that the soldiers have dis-harmed us, that they were as good as
beating us. I asked did they not see the stickers, they said the stickers are there. we
showed them (general cuts in :did i not tell you about stickers yesterday? “)
Un-identified Hausa man : you did sir.
General: what did i tell you?
Un-identified Hausa man : that any vehicle carrying the stickers, that we should be left.
(Caleb Olubolade cuts in: are your boys carrying out your instructions? that was exactly
what i asked you?
General: i have 5 sections, i took my time yesterday (honourable AbdulKareem cuts in:” se
ko se pe awon people yi lo gba owo lo wo awon people yi?”)
Fayose: nko to won lo se ni yen!o ti wan se ni yen o!
Honourable AbdulKareem: you can’t do this. i have a stake in this. We are all stake
holders. (Everyone in the room echoes, we are all stake holders”)
Fayose: We have to call the president and let him know. This people are doing
somethings.they would not even serve police that wants to help us, we can’t continue like
this.(general cuts in ” are you working with a different police?”)
Honourable AbdulKareem: Momoh, you know me now, you are the one from kogi nah, are
you not the one from kogi, (general cuts in ” am a stake holder is more in my heart than
you. Don’t talk to me anyhow please, dont talk to me anyhow.”) Am not talking to you
anyhow to, don’t talk to me anyhow too, i won’t take it from you. whom am are you
talking to, am an honourable member of the national assembly, do you know you are
insulting me too? (koro cuts in ” sit down general, sit down please”)who are you that you
say am insulting you, if am in the military, i would be a brigadier or general today. so what
are you saying, am a member of the national assembly. (koro cuts in: i don’t like all this
embarrasment,we all left our home to come here, we are here for the same thing. i don’t
like the way the honourable is talking, i asked him to come here, if you are a member of
the national assembly so, i was once a senator too. show some respect.”)
Koro: i won’t say a word, i would allow you to talk, but i want to sound a note of warning.
This man, we cannot keep him here indefinitely. let us make progress, give him
instructions on what we want him to do, let him go and do it, let us monitor him, and
make sure those things are done, cause as he’s seated here, other people are monitoring
his movement (person 2 “God bless you sir”) give him instructions. (Person 4 cuts in “let
me just say something”) Let the senator land.
Senator Omisore: i would just say that we don’t have to argue this much, we have seen
some lapses yes, its just this evening. there is nothing happening now that we cannot
contain before tomorrow morning, there is nothing.so ba mi so fun general, we can be
together on this matter. your boys can be overzealous and do things that are not sent,
(koro cuts in “and some can be compromise too.”) yes! What am saying momoh is that, at
this level, any information that you hear from us, we are on ground here, move swiftly to
those information, and act number one. Instead of you defending them even blindly. You
go and find out what is really happening there. We have areas that are faulty areas, look
into it, “ikere”, “ilawe”. Let them confirm what is happening there. My friend major is
looking to “oke-mesin” himself.
Koro: Do you have a special team?
General: there are about 6 special team. ( koro cuts in” your own team”) i have one.
“Strike force” i have almost forty soldiers after deployment.
Koro : the idea of calling you, and not getting reactions we have to stop that now, you
must bring that to an end. When we call you, within the next 5 – 10 minutes, we need to
know what has been done about it, and we want to get the full feedback on what has
been done. all those that has been dis-armed, tell your men they must release them.
(person 4 cuts in “they don’t dis-armed anyone again”) and then put 2 or 3 of your men in
charge of that. That before anybody is dis-armed; they call that person for clearance.
That person would call in, and if they say they should not, nobody is dis-armed. If he say
that they should go ahead, nobody know them, go ahead and dis-armed them. Then that
daramola i want him picked up in the morning, (person 4 cuts in: “no in the night, tonight!
daramola and commissioner for finance”) daramola is in which local govt.
General: sir, we have done a lot of arrest.me and oga chris.(person 4 cuts in : i know”)
Koro: i understand.
General: what am saying is that, it’s the pressure.
Koro: wait! Wait! Your excellency, give him your token so that we can go.
Fayose: o ni number mi. he has my number.
Koro: the people you want them to take control of would arrest before the morning, can
make their list and their local government go and bring it.(general cuts in: that chairman
now, he’s already with SS now.”) let me tell you, they say there is one place that has been
flooded “ecomog” from osun “omisore cuts in: that’s oke-mesin, he spoke to the oba of
oke-mesin” that oba, you must ensure, that those people are flushed out.”
Omisore: oke mesin.
General: Oke-mesin where? (omisore cuts in” he knows the place”) oh, i know oke-mesin
very well.
Koro: who is that one gonna brief, (Un-Identified hausa man in “captain aja, he is already there. i gave him the number ehhhh. i gave him the number of akin.”) oh akin is there.
General: Daramola is which local government?
Koro :Oye local government, don’t go an give very conflicting ki ni o. i don’t want you to stay here for to long
General: yes sir!
Koro: They would be talking to you on the phone (general cuts in” yes sir.”) Nobody is
monitoring you; i don’t want a situation they would say you have come here.
Omisore: i want you to notice that when the governor was going, he went with about
twenty something vehicles.(koro cuts in “the governor told him that already”)
Koro: that should not be happening on the eve of election
Honourable AbdulKareem : awon ti won ba se meeting nko ni tantalizer? (general cuts in :”you are the one nah, its chris”)
General: Lets accept one thing, we want success, you know why i ask, if we have put only
policmen, we would have reach them together. in the presence of chief chris, i said if we
dont deliver. since yesterday we’ve been hammering it. He just left. Now am the one that
pick up the chairman of oyen local govt. if am compromise, the governor doesn’t have my
number. Is the chief that he telling me that he’s been asking for my number from him? As a
general, i can’t pretend like he does not want to give money.
Koro: general sir, it’s not about you, it’s your men in the field,(general cuts in “we
checkmate them”) ehnnn..it’s for you to continue to find out what they are doing.(general
cuts in ” sir, what you need to do now, don’t listen to people texting, Chris is talking to me
and my men, sir you sent me a message that somebody is behind the
negotiating………what i want to do is, we are going to form a group, a one group. Have
told chief yesterday that am not working again, that he should be in touch, he said he’s
coming to my place.”
General: voting has not started, the plan has been briefed, i told this man in uniform
yesterday, i don’t know which state he’s from. i took my time within 2 days when that
thing happened, i went round and my brief to them is deliver or you would be sanctioned,
and i told them if this my is your contact point, if they say follow here follow. Tell me any
soldier man that is staying in any of the opponent hotel. We have asset we are not using
it. the governor, our excellency, i know his problem i never knew until…… when oga chief
came to me, he looked at me if its money he said he would give to me, have given my
soldiers, their morale are high.(koro cuts in:” don’t talk too much, i want you to go and
work and deliver for us. look here, you can’t get promotion without me sitting on top of
your military council. If am a happy man tomorrow night, the sky is your limit, and at the
end of the day if am unhappy….”)
Koro: am not here for tea party, am on a special assignment by the president (Caleb
Olubolade cuts in: “so that when next we have someone 2 send on special assignment, it’s
would be you. There is one thing i want to tell you, we are anticipating tomorrow, because
this people know we have people that want to vote for us tomorrow, this people might
come out with thugs to destabilize our people at the polling unit. we want you to work
with the police too, and arrest whoever wants to cause problem a any polling unit
People speaking for a while…….
Omisore : there is a contact man in wusi. Call that contact person now.
General: They are with the my soldiers,(fayose cuts in: “it’s not correct sir.”) gentlemen
listen both of you, i told pastor this evening how many local government is in our hands, i
called pastor this morning that please tell your men to follow my soldier one by one.
Fayose: If am working for you, if am working for you sir, i cannot be following you around sir. My people cannot be following you about. We don’t follow IG about, we don’t follow
police about. The “OC mopol” of this state is working for us, we don’t follow him about.
When we call him one hand we have this problem he settles it immediately. Last night, we
told him this is happening around the government house, he condone off all the 4
entrance off (general cuts in: ‘ i was the one oh”) you are not the one sir. (General cuts in
again:” i was the one who created road blocks, I was the officer on ground sir.”) When you
were coming this night, were you searched?
TEXT ENDS
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