APC may reject Fayose’s victory in Ekiti poll •Alleges hi-tech rigging by PDP •Fayemi, Fayose meet, pledge to work for Ekiti progress •U.S. commends INEC for conduct •INEC, police must curb money-for-vote in election – Observer group By Johnson Ayantunji (Lagos, Rotimi Akinwunmi (Abuja) and Yaqoub Popoola (Ado-Ekiti) All Progressives Congress (APC) may make a U-turn on the victory of Ayodele Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Saturday governorship election in Ekiti State. Fayose defeated the APC candidate and incumbent Governor of the state, Kayode Fayemi, at the poll, winning landslide in all the 16 local government areas of the state. Fayemi on Sunday, in a state wide broadcast, accepted the result of the election and congratulated Fayose over his victory. However, indication emerged on Monday that the APC might have had a rethink on the “hasty” decision to conceded defeat to the PDP candidate victory. In fact it was strongly suspected from emerging evidence, according to competent APC sources, that the “PDP might have rigged the election”. A stalwart of the APC in Ekiti State said the party was suspicious that a hi-tech methodology might have been used by the PDP to rig the poll. “There was something fishy about the ballot paper and the ink that needs to be challenged in court. “We are currently gathering evidence. We have received several complaints from people about the hi-tech rigging that was perpetrated. “Even though the Governor has accepted defeat, that does not stop us from challenging Fayose’s victory in court if we are able to gather enough evidence to prove our case. “The votes were pre-allocated on the ballot papers through hi-tech manipulation using a technology called ‘photochromic’. “A clear example of this manipulation is at former Governor Segun Oni’s polling unit in Ifaki. Oni, an APC member, went there with 11 members of his family, including his wife. APC got only one vote there, while Fayose got 51. “Personally I noticed that the ink disappeared from my thumb in less than 40 minutes. When I shared this experience with others, many had a similar story to tell. That was when we began to suspect that something sinister had been perpetrated,” the party chieftain added. Efforts to get the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Lai Moahmmed, to react to the story proved abortive. Several calls to his cell phone did not go. Short text messages (SMS) were not replied. But a top shot within the party, who did not want his name in print, confided in Daily Independent that all options are still on the table. “We will be meeting today to take a decision on that but we are not ruling out the option of going to the court to challenge the result.” Meanwhile, normalcy returned to government offices in Ado-Ekiti on Monday after the hustle and bustle of the election that saw the incumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi lose to his main rival, Ayodele Fayose of the PDP. Though Fayose’s supporters were still out in the streets celebrating the weekend victory of their political idol, Fayemi, who contested on the platform of the APC, seemed to have put the election burble behind him, as he resumed work at the Governor’s Office on Monday morning calm and collected. Security was now relaxed somehow, and civil servants as well as some political appointees were also seen within the premises. Unlike what used to be the tradition in the past where people would cluster to discuss the outcome of an election, everybody seemed to mind his or her business. At about noon, PDP supporters began to stream into the Governor’s Office in anticipation of the arrival of the Governor-elect, Fayose. A little later when Fayose arrived, Fayemi addressed him and his supporters, assuring that he would continue to identify with any action that would ensure Ekiti progress in all spheres. He said there was nothing ‘unAfrican’ or ‘unNigerian’ in his congratulatory message to Fayose the previous day, adding that it was what he should do as someone who believes in democratic ethos. Fayemi said: “They said my congratulatory message to the Governor-elect is unAfrican or unNigerian. I don’t think it was so because that was what I was expected to do as a democrat. “As an elected officer, I have no choice than to respect the wishes of the people. Our democracy is fragile and we have to do whatever we can as leaders to strengthen and deepen it the more. “Ekiti is also unique. We all have ties dated back to centuries, so we are not disagreeable in any way.” Commenting on the crisis and violence that dogged the electioneering campaigns by the two leading parties, Fayemi stated that “what caused those things was the fact that we were playing politics. All is about power struggle. “We wanted to take from the same basket. But today, we have taken it with equanimity. “So, I congratulate the Governor-elect because what we are doing today is a lesson for us that in whatever we do as leaders, we have to consider the overall interest of Ekiti people. “Today, Ekiti is victorious. We have shown the world that politics can be played with decorum and restraint. “But I have to continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to our people until October 16, so we have to plead with our supporters to exercise restraint”, Fayemi counselled. He appealed to Fayose to advise his supporters to exercise restraint so that the love existing among political leaders in the state can be sustained. Speaking earlier, Fayose said his coming to the Governor was borne out of the genuine intention to promote love and unity among Ekiti leaders. He commended Fayemi for conceding defeat to him, saying, “This statesmanlike conduct would forever remain in history”. He added: “I am here today to further promote peace and reconciliation among Ekiti leaders. No more politics of bitterness because Ekiti is one. “The time is ripe for all leaders to think of how Ekiti can develop rather than promoting division that would set us back. In this election, there is no victor, no vanquished. It was a victory for all Ekiti indigenes.” The United States of America (USA) commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigerian security forces for the success of Ekiti governorship poll. The U.S. Embassy in a statement in Abuja on Monday said: “We congratulate the many electoral stakeholders for the successful conduct of the June 21 Ekiti gubernatorial election. “The Nigerian Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) oversaw a credible, efficient process, and by all accounts the result reflected the will of Ekiti’s voters. “The security forces collaborated effectively and provided a safe and secure environment free of major incidents. “The parties and their supporters acted responsibly during and after the election, and the magnanimity exhibited by all candidates afterwards speaks highly of them and the people of Ekiti.” The statement noted that the conduct and outcome of the election were a positive sign for Nigerian democracy. “That more than 50 per cent of registered voters turned out to make their voices heard bodes well for the future of Nigeria’s democracy,” it said. One of the election observers group that monitored the poll, Cleen Foundation, urged INEC and security agencies to tame the menace of ‘money for votes ‘ in future elections. The group is also called on the Nigeria Police to prosecute electoral offenders apprehended before and during Saturday election. At a news conference in Ado on Monday where it presented its preliminary report, the organisation’s Programme Manager, Chinedu Nwagu, said the measure became imperative to rid the country of rigging during elections. Nwagu commended INEC and security agencies for the successful conduct of the election, saying this accounted for the acceptability of the outcome by the leading contestants, including Governor Kayode Fayemi and Opeyemi Bamidele of the Labour Party (LP). He called on INEC to improve on effective training of its ad hoc staff in the subsequent elections and ensure prompt distribution of materials to polling units the way it was witnessed in Ekiti. Police authorities also noted that some foreign observers who monitored the election were dazed with the peaceful nature of the exercise. Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police in charge of Security, Bala Nasarawa, who briefed journalists about the outcome of their operations, said the experience of the election would go a long way in changing foreigners’ perception of Nigeria. The police chief warned troublemakers not to test the will of the force, adding that the troops are not in a hurry to leave the state. At the press conference in Ado Ekiti co-addressed with five Commissioners of Police, particularly the one in charge of Ekiti election, Ikechukwu Aduba, Nasarawa said his men would remain on ground for post-election duty. Some of the senior officers confessed that they had never witnessed such an election in the entire career. “However, I wish to advise in the interest of the general public that if any one group of people or political party has any grievances or objections to the conduct of election, such complaints should be channelled to the appropriate quarters”. Nasarawa, who promised that the police will repeat the unblemished records in the conduct of Ekiti poll in the August 9 governorship poll in Osun State, said his men would henceforth make it impossible for poll riggers to have a field day in Nigerian elections.
Posted on: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 18:22:07 +0000
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