ARRESTED INEC STAFF: PDP ACCUSES FAYEMI OF COVER-UP
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has accused the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governor of the State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi of making clandestine moves to discontinue the prosecution of the four of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) charged to court for allegedly invalidating votes gathered by the PDP in the House of Assembly election for Ekiti East Local Government Constituency II.
In a statement issued by the State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Bola Olu-Ojo, the party also accused Governor Fayemi of shielding the Caretaker Chairman of Ekiti East Local Government, Mrs. Alaba Anthonia Omonusi, who allegedly paid the INEC officials a sum of N180, 000 to carry out the criminal act.
The four suspects, Ojo Oluwafemi (25), Ajayi Gbenga (42), Oni Babajide
(37) and Olusola Oladapo (41) were arraigned before an Ado-Ekiti Magistrate Court on a eight count charge, which included "conspiracy to wit, to alter ballot papers used in the April, 2011 House of Assembly election in Ekiti East Constituency II."
Olusola Oladapo was accused of collecting the sum of N180, 000 from the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate in the election, Mrs Anthonia Alaba Omonusi, out of which he (Olusola) gave N50, 000 each to Ajayi Gbenga and Oni Babajide while Ojo Oluwafe got N30, 000. Mrs Omonusi, who is also the caretaker chairman of Ekiti East Local Government is said to be at large.
Olu-Ojo said; “We wish to alert Nigerians of the clandestine moves now being made by the ACN in Ekiti State and Governor Fayemi to discontinue the case filed against the four INEC official, using the office of the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.
“The State Attorney-General, Mr. Dayo Akinlaja has been mandated to enter 'Nolle Proseque' against the arraigned INEC staff.
“Also, the refusal of Governor Fayemi to turn Mrs Alaba Omonusi to the police, in spite of the fact that she was mentioned in the charge preferred against the INEC staff as the person who paid them to carry out the criminal act has shown that he (Fayemi) harbours criminals.
“As at today, Mrs Alaba Omonusi is still carrying out her functions as the chairman of Ekiti East Local Government, despite that she was said to be 'at large', and our question is; who is fooling whom?
“How can a serving council boss, who allegedly committed criminal offence, be at large when she still attends meetings with Governor Fayemi and other officials of the State Government?
“We also ask; where lies Fayemi's claim to progressivism if he is still harbouring that kind of person as part of his government? Isn't it now clear that he knew about the 'Ibo lehin Ibo' (voting after
voting) perpetrated by the INEC staff?”
While warning the State Attorney-General to be mindful of his name and image as a legal practitioner, the PDP Chairman said; “We are watching events as they unfold on the arrested INEC staff.
“We want to see if indeed the State Government would go ahead and free them through the Attorney-General, thereby telling the whole world that Fayemi's government is indeed a government of criminals.”