How We Rigged Election For Fayose Seven Days Before Poll – Aluko

More information has emerged into how the June 21, 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State was allegedly manipulated in favour of Governor Ayo Fayose as a former Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, Dr. Tope Aluko revealed that the plot to rig the election was perfected inside a hotel seven days before the poll.

He said sensitive materials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, such as ballot papers and result sheets, were delivered to PDP chieftains at the hotel owned by a top state government official (name withheld), to allow for the manipulation of the poll long before the first ballot was cast.

Aluko made these latest allegations at an interview on Adaba 88. 9 FM in Akure on Wednesday, adding 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 claimed that INEC ballot papers were forged and result sheets filled by some PDP members, which gave the party an “undue advantage” long before voters went to the polls.

Aluko explained that the operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, led by a female officer stormed the hotel and arrested the PDP members perfecting the rigging but that they were released within three hours, following the intervention of the then President Goodluck Jonathan-led Federal Government.

He disclosed that a lorry conveying some of the electoral materials delivered through the Akure Airport was the one intercepted by soldiers led by the recently retired Brig.-Gen. Aliyu Momoh.

According to him, the materials were later released after the officers received an 'order from above'.

The ex-PDP chieftain alleged that the N5.2bn refund had been diverted to the Ado Ekiti flyover project, following an investigation conducted by the Department of State Services, the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

He continued: “Ask him (Fayose) why did the former Commissioner for Works, Kayode Oso, run away? The Commissioner for Finance, Toyin Ojo, told his interrogators about the finances of the state, including the N5.2bn refunded on the Ado-Ifaki Road project carried out by Fayemi.

“You will recall that Fayose had earlier denied receiving the N5.2bn refund but the revelation by Ojo while in custody now made him (Fayose) to divert the money for a flyover construction because Ojo told them that Oso was in a better position to explain the refund collected on road.”

Aluko said the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Owoseni Ajayi, was liable for his alleged role in an attack on the Ekiti State High Court – to prevent the delivery of a ruling on a perjury case involving Fayose.

According to him, “I pity Owoseni Ajayi who is saying that I should be prosecuted because he (Owoseni) was the one who placed a call to Fayose to organise a mob to disrupt the delivery of a ruling by Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi.

“Owoseni told Fayose on the phone that should the judge deliver the ruling on the perjury case, it would go against him (Fayose) and his planned inauguration would be in jeopardy.”

The embattled politician insisted that his disagreement with the Governor not because he was not made Chief of Staff, but as a result of Fayose's alleged derailment from the plan for the development of Ekiti State and

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.”

As regards the purported reconciliation meeting with Fayose in a Lagos hotel, Aluko insisted that he never went to meet Fayose as believed in some quarters, stressing that “It was the governor and former Ekiti Assembly factional Speaker Dele Olugbemi who barged into a meeting I was holding with some PDP leaders.”

He further explained that “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.”