Former PDP Secretary in Ekiti state, Tope Aluko, has
shared more insight into how himself and others allegedly
manipulated the state's June 21st 2014 governorship
election in favor of Fayose. In an interview with ADABA
88.9 FM yesterday April 14th which was monitored by The
Nation, Aluko said they perfected the plan to rig the
election inside a hotel.
He said on the day of the election, sensitive materials of
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),
such as ballot papers and result sheets, were delivered to
PDP chieftains to allow for the manipulation of the poll
long before the first ballot was cast.
He alleged that the electoral materials were delivered
through Akure Airport and taken to a hotel owned by
Fayose’s Chief of Staff Dipo Anisulowo in Are-Ekiti, where
the alleged manipulation was carried out.
He said the party got marginal success in the election
because ballot papers were thumb-printed and result
sheets filled by PDP members. The election whistle blower
explained that Department of State Services (DSS)
operatives, led by a woman officer, stormed Anisulowo’s
hotel and arrested the PDP henchmen but they were
released within three hours because “you know we (PDP)
were in government at that time”.
According to Aluko, a lorry conveying some of the electoral
materials was intercepted by soldiers led by the recently
retired Brig.-Gen. Aliyu Momoh. “But the materials were
later released after the officers received ‘order from
above’.” He said the Fayose administration received the
refund of the N5.2 billion spent on Ado-Ifaki highway by
the Kayode Fayemi administration. Aluko said the governor
initially denied but it was confirmed by former President
Goodluck Jonathan during the PDP presidential campaign
rally.
He further alleged that the money was diverted to the Ado-
Ekiti flyover, following the outcry generated. “Ask him
(Fayose) why did (former Works Commissioner) Kayode
Oso flee? Finance Commissioner Toyin Ojo told DSS
interrogators about the state’s finances, including the N5.2
billion refunded on theAdo-Ifaki Road carried out by
Fayemi.
You will recall that the governor denied receiving the refund
but Ojo’s revelation made him (Fayose) divert the money
for the flyover.”
Reacting to a proposed prosecution threat on him by the
Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Owoseni
Ajayi, Aluko said Ajayi is also liable for prosecution for his
alleged role in an attack on the court.
“I pity Owoseni Ajayi who is saying that I should be
prosecuted because he (Ajayi) was the one who ‘disrupted’
the delivery of a ruling by Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi.
Owoseni told Fayose on phone that should the judge
deliver the ruling on the perjury case, it would go against
him and his planned swearing-in would be in jeopardy.”
He denied making any moves to reconcile with Ayo Fayose
“It was the governor and former Ekiti Assembly factional
Speaker Dele Olugbemi who barged into a meeting I was
holding with some PDP leaders. Olugbemi and Fayose
barged into the meeting venue. Olugbemi is a liar. He had
lied against Fayose. He lied against the All Progressives
Congress (APC) and the PDP. He is working for the money
and appointment he just received from Fayose. I did not
create a scene at the venue because hefty men were
stationed around and my wife was afraid of what could
happen. The governor held my clothes that I should not
talk when I wanted to talk. I feared for my wife who later
disappeared from the scene and I did not know her
whereabouts. They almost attacked me when I went to
Channels Television but it was policemen led by the CP
who saved me after being holed up there for about three
hours. I played safe because of my wife and to avoid the
scenario that played out when I went to Channels
Television to grant my first interview.”
Aluko denied claims that his fight with Fayose is because
he was not made Chief of Staff. He said:
“I am not doing this because I was denied appointment. I
discovered that this man has no plans for Ekiti and I went
to him that Oga, it’s almost a year in office now and we
have not done anything for the people. Fayose replied me
by saying ‘don’t worry, Ekiti people are easy to deceive
because by the time you buy them ponmo (cow skin) and
booli (roasted plantain), you have stolen their hearts’. It
was there that our crisis started. The issue of Chief of Staff
was secondary. Fayose derailed from our blueprint for the
development of Ekiti. He cancelled the monthly allowances
for the aged. He imposed taxes on primary school pupils,
among his other anti-people policies but when I reminded
him, he told me that Ekiti people are gullible. I need the
prayer of Nigerians so that I will not fall prey to the evil
machinations of those planning to kill me by all means
because of the truth I told Nigerians.”
Credit : LIB
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