Saharareporters has received reliable information that “President” Umaru Yar’adu has approved a sinister strategy to ensure that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is declared winner of the rerun governorship election in Ekiti State.
A source from within Nigeria’s electoral commission told our correspondent that the returns from last week’s election show a clear victory by Dr. Kayode Fayemi of the Action Congress (AC). Former “Governor” Segun Oni of the PDP was badly trounced, according to this source.
According to another source inside the Yar’adua government, “the president has signed off on a new strategy to ‘capture’ Ekiti at all cost.”
The source explained that the strategy involves heavy reliance on “security” and law enforcement officers. Specifically, Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, has been ordered to provide overwhelming security in the state to ensure intimidation of voters and opposition candidates.
Our source revealed that Mr. Okiro is not only willing to carry out the “presidential orders,” but also determined to reap a huge financial benefit by receiving pay-offs from the embattled, desperate Oni, who has remained in Abuja to pressure the Presidency to stay committed to the hijack of Ekiti governorship.
Saharareporters received a copy of a text message sent by Segun Oni with mobile number 0807-575-9105 expressing his willingness to part with as much as N1 billion to ensure that the IG could help secure victory in the two wards in Oye local government where elections are expected to be held a week from tomorrow.
Our sources reported that Okiro has asked Oni to budget 200 million naira to for the Ekiti Commissioner of Police and the commander of the Mobile Police unit (MOPOL) to ensure that the will of the PDP was carried out to the letter. Okiro reportedly wants N500 million for himself.
As part of the plan, the State Security Services (SSS) would be replacing key officers in Ekiti State in the next few days. The idea is to ensure that nobody interferes with the additional police officers and mobile policemen Mr. Okiro is deploying to the state to make life hellish for opposition figures and their supporters.
Also, a security circular indicates plans to arrest targeted opposition figures branded “troublemakers” in Ekiti. The arrests are planned before and during the election re-runs.
PDP officials from the Southwest have told Yar’adua that his “second term” prospects in the Southwest depend wholly on ensuring “victory” for Mr. Oni in Ekiti.
The rerun election has been embroiled in controversy after the Ekiti electoral commissioner, Mrs. Olusola Adebayo, disappeared and then sent her letter of resignation in which she stated that her Christian conscience did not permit her to yield to pressures to rig the election. Mrs. Adebayo subsequently withdrew her resignation letter after meeting with INEC chairman, Maurice Iwu. Mr. Iwu, known as Mr. EF (for Electoral Fraud) among a section of his staff, pleaded with the woman to return and finish her job.
Mrs. Adebayo’s resignation had raised security fears about the possibility of a coup d’etat.
Even though Yar’adua reportedly asked Mrs. Adebayo to get back to Ekiti to do her job as her “conscience dictates,” a sources at the Presidency told Saharareporters that Yar’adua was only buying time to enable him to position the ruling party’s new hijack plans.
“You must understand that ‘President’ Yar’adua is very cunning,” said the source. “He can maintain multiple positions to suit his personal ambitions.”
The source recalled how Yar’adua conned former Vice President Atiku Abubakar during the Adamawa State gubernatorial rerun. “The president led Atiku to believe that everything was going to be free and fair only to deal Atiku the shock of his political life.”
Our sources said Yar’adua has directed that nothing be left to chance when the postponed portions of the gubernatorial rerun election are conducted.{youtubejw width="600" height="400"}ylv65fgK8jM{/youtubejw}
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });