Posted on: 12:36 Wed, 18 Nov 2015



The Chairman of the All Progressives
Congress, APC, in Ekiti State, Chief
Olajide Awe has noted that the role
played by the military during the
June 22, 2014 governorship election
in the state can be “better imagined
than experienced,” stressing that it
was a battlefield between the
soldiers and voters..

Awe alongside 14 others on Tuesday
testified before the Army panel
investigating the involvement of its
officers in the 2014/2015
governorship and presidential
elections in Ekiti, Osun , Rivers and
Akwa-Ibom states.

DAILY POST recalls that the General
Officer Commanding, GOC, 1
Mechanised Division, Kaduna, Maj-
Gen. Adeninyi Oyebade, who is also
the President of the panel, had on
November 9, inaugurated the panel
on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff,
Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.

Gen Oyebade, during the
inauguration, stated that the Army
was concerned about the alleged
misconduct perpetrated by its
officers and men before, during and
after the elections.

Awe while testifying before the
panel, recounted that prior to the
election, the party’s bigwigs,
including then Rivers State
Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, were
prevented from entering the state for
the APC rally, while the aircraft with
which the Edo State Governor,
Adams Oshiomhole, was to use in
flying in, was grounded in Benin on
the orders of the “power-that-be.”

He noted that some soldiers who
concealed their names and tags with
black band confiscated over N30m
earmarked by the party for the
prosecution of election.

Awe also stated that 36,000 security
personnel, including soldiers,
invaded the state on the eve of the
election, harassed and arrested party
leaders, members and supporters.

He told the panel that the
whereabouts of the Director-General
of the Fayemi Campaign
Organisation, Bimbo Daramola, who
escaped arrest in Ire, was still
unknown even after the election.

He further stressed that no election
was held in the state, adding that
former Governor Kayode Fayemi
accepted the outcome of that election
for peace to reign in the state.

According to APC Chairman, Fayemi
while accepting the outcome of the
polls said,“look, if we say we cannot
accept the election result, we will put
the lives of our people in danger”.

“Fayemi accepted the result in the
name of peace. Some of this did not
go down well with our people. We
took the decision to accept the result
for the sake of peace in the state.”

On the issue of alleged killings by the
military, Awe said there was none
but added that in his village, several
houses were razed, 15 vehicles
destroyed and several people
kidnapped.

“Some of these kidnapped victims
were later found at Sagamu, Ogun
State, with bruises on their bodies.

“Sir, there was no reports of
anybody killed, but of robbery,
harassment and intimidation,” he
added.

Awe however accused operatives of
the Department of State Services, DSS
and the police of helping in rigging
the election, alleging that, “DSS did a
lot havoc because its officials were
close to the people”.

He explained that while the DSS
officials wore hoods, the soldiers
covered their name tags.

“Prior to the June 22, 2014
governorship election in Ekiti State,
we were excited when told that the
Army will be involved in
maintaining peace. A week or so
after the soldiers arrived, our
expectation was short-lived.

“On Wednesday, we started seeing
that things were not as we thought.
Thursday, we had a rally where most
of our guests, especially party
bigwigs were prevented from coming
into the state.

“Nearly all major roads in Ekiti were
blocked by the military. The stop and
search was beyond what it should be.

Money meant for the party agents
and other logistics were taken by the
soldiers,” Awe said.

Dailypost