2014 Ekiti, Osun guber polls
The Nigerian Army on Tuesday set up “a high powered” Board of Inquiry to investigate alleged malpractices and involvement of its personnel in the 2014 Ekiti and Osun States governorship elections.
In February, SaharaReporters posted audio recordings and transcript of meetings of some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with some army officers on how to use the military to rig the gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun States in 2014.
“The audio recordings and affidavit were provided by Sagir Koli, a Captain in the 32nd Artillery Brigade stationed in Ekiti State, who has since fled the country for fear of retaliation.
“Capt. Koli recorded the conversation on 20th June 2014 when he was asked to accompany his Commanding Officer, Brigadier General Aliyu Momoh, to the meeting. The venue was Spotless Hotel in Ado-Ekiti,” said the website.
Since the exposé, there had been calls by the then opposition APC and civil society organisation for the federal government to investigate the matter and prosecute the actors.
But the spokesman of the Nigerian Army, Sani Usman, said on Tuesday that the board would investigate the alleged unprofessional and unethical conduct of some Nigerian Army personnel during the two elections.
The Nigerian Army also charged the board to investigate similar instances “in any other State in Nigeria where other allegations of misconduct were made during the 2015 general elections in the country”.
He said as part of its terms of reference, the board was to also review the involvement of the Nigerian Army formations/units and its personnel in elections and other duties “in aid to civil authority”.
“The essence of the board is to prevent future unprofessional conduct by officers and men in the performance of the constitutional roles while strengthening Nigerian Army’s support to democratic values and structures in Nigeria,” Mr. Usman, a colonel, said.
The Nigerian Army on Tuesday set up “a high powered” Board of Inquiry to investigate alleged malpractices and involvement of its personnel in the 2014 Ekiti and Osun States governorship elections.
In February, SaharaReporters posted audio recordings and transcript of meetings of some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with some army officers on how to use the military to rig the gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun States in 2014.
“The audio recordings and affidavit were provided by Sagir Koli, a Captain in the 32nd Artillery Brigade stationed in Ekiti State, who has since fled the country for fear of retaliation.
“Capt. Koli recorded the conversation on 20th June 2014 when he was asked to accompany his Commanding Officer, Brigadier General Aliyu Momoh, to the meeting. The venue was Spotless Hotel in Ado-Ekiti,” said the website.
Since the exposé, there had been calls by the then opposition APC and civil society organisation for the federal government to investigate the matter and prosecute the actors.
But the spokesman of the Nigerian Army, Sani Usman, said on Tuesday that the board would investigate the alleged unprofessional and unethical conduct of some Nigerian Army personnel during the two elections.
The Nigerian Army also charged the board to investigate similar instances “in any other State in Nigeria where other allegations of misconduct were made during the 2015 general elections in the country”.
He said as part of its terms of reference, the board was to also review the involvement of the Nigerian Army formations/units and its personnel in elections and other duties “in aid to civil authority”.
“The essence of the board is to prevent future unprofessional conduct by officers and men in the performance of the constitutional roles while strengthening Nigerian Army’s support to democratic values and structures in Nigeria,” Mr. Usman, a colonel, said.
