Army authorities have given a shoot on sight order in Ekiti State ahead of the June 21 governorship election.
The Commander, 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, Brig. Gen. Aliyu Momoh, disclosed this to journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday while parading three men caught with ballot papers.
The men, Olufemi Ose, Akanbi Oluwasegun, Biodun Erinfolami, were arrested around 1.30pm with articulated truck loaded with ballot papers.
Making reference to Sunday’s incident in Ado-Ekiti where a man claimed to be a supporter of the All Progressives Congress died from a gunshot, Momoh said, “Those who are harbouring hoodlums, we will get them. I have given the order to my men that whosoever is caught with any offensive weapons against the state should be brought down. That is a strong message to everybody irrespective of political parties. We are neutral and we stand as such.”
Momoh said he ordered his men to conduct a thorough search of the truck and discovered ballot papers of 2008, 2009 and 2011, reflective jacket and a 2014 stamp of INEC, adding, “You can’t say a 2014 is a waste material.”
In an interview with journalists, Ose said he brought some consignment to Akure park where he was approached by a man to carry beans for him.
“I thought of using the money to buy fuel. When I got to the man, he said he had already got another vehicle to carry the beans but that he had papers to carry from INEC office in Ado-Ekiti. One motor loaded in INEC yesterday but my own was loaded today and I left after I got my waybill.”
Momoh said the Department of State Security Service had been invited to investigate the claims by the men in order to establish the truth.
The army boss, who refused to disclose where the men were arrested said his men were on ground and “waiting for more people to arrest.”
“Every material moving must be escorted by security agencies. Anything short of that my men will pick it up. We want to ensure the right things are done.”
But the Independent National Electoral Commission has denied that the ballot papers were relevant to the June 21 governorship election.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Aliyu Pai, said the materials apprehended by the military were waste papers that had been auctioned to a company.
He said, “It is approved by the National Commission for the company to evacuate the obsolete materials to enable us prepare for the coming election because these are junks that have filled the store.
“There is an approval by the National Commission. They are known to us and they are in no way connected to this election. They are materials of 2007, 2009 and there is approval for its evacuation.”
Pai maintained that the commission had no reason to provide police escort to the materials since they were not going to be used in the election. He said, “They won’t be used at all in anyway. It is unfortunate if anybody thinks we have been compromised.”
Pai called on security agencies to conduct their investigation to establish the truth.
Meanwhile, the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation has called for a thorough investigation into the controversy surrounding the intercepted INEC voting materials. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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INEC IS MOVING A RIGHT WASTE MATERIALS AT THE WRONG TIME. WHAT OF UP TO DATE STAMP? INEC,CLEAN YOUR HAND.
ReplyDeleteIt is either JEGA has started tilting towards APC, PDP has to be careful, I do not trust these religious bigots from north. Anything or party that favours Islam will easily win their sympathy and favour. Jega is not left out. He might be working against PDP. Why would he approve such thing. What is the said company doing with ballot paper ranging from 2007 to 2014. Being a sensitive material, a reasonable Chairman would permit it. He would asked for the papers to be burnt under the supervision of the security agents. Someone is compromising, that is truth, nothing else.
ReplyDeleteMr man, shut your trap! and you and your kinds should stop polarised this forum with your religious bigotry and unreasonably accusation.
DeleteSome fools(apology to my matured comrades) can't just limit their ignorance to their locality?!!!
How about your so called 'holy holy' christain brother that conducted anambra election? Anybody can be compromised by all 'this evil politicians' irrespective of faith(afterall what does a good man doing in their midst?).
I think any anonymous should'nt be air on this honourable forum, anyone that is faceless and its not proud of his/her ethnic/background should be disregarded.
What about the 2014 stamp? is that waste as well? Inec, Inec, how many times did I call u. stay tuned for Lai Mohammed's outburst, he will say its PDP that's trying to rig. just watch out!
ReplyDelete