The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekti State has said that the purported truce between Governor Ayodele Fayose and the State Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Tope Aluko, will not alter anything “on the revelations so far on the probe of the June 21, 2014 governorship election fraud.”
The party’s reaction followed insinuations that the weekend peace meeting between the duo was a blow to a just conclusion of the military probe into an election in which the Federal Government deployed the military and cash to influence the result in Fayose’s favour as revealed in the secretly recorded audio tape by Army Captain Sagir Koli.
The truce report has started generating ripples among Nigerians, with Fayose’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, dismissing the army probe as a charade to dismiss innocent military officers after Aluko was allegedly goaded by APC to lie against the governor to upturn the controversial election.
But APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said in a statement on Tuesday that the reported truce between Fayose and Aluko would not alter anything in the revelations at the probe panel.
He said it was mischievous to insinuate that Aluko was lured by APC to lie against Fayose and the military officers who were dismissed after they were found guilty by the Army probe panel.
Dismissing allegation that Aluko was lured by APC to implicate Fayose and the soldiers, Olatunbosun explained:
“This is purely an internal matter within PDP and so APC has no hand in it. The reported meeting between Fayose and Aluko brokered by PDP leaders has proven conclusively that the latter is a full member of PDP.
“It is that recognition by PDP that made its leaders to invite the duo to a peace meeting, and contrary to Olayinka’s insinuation, it is on record that Aluko had always insisted that his revelation at the probe panel was in response to APC’s petition against him on the controversial election in which he had to make restitution through confession to clear his conscience.”
He added: “It is mischievous to insinuate that Aluko’s reconciliation with Fayose will hurt the credibility of the probe panel. We must note that Aluko swore to an oath before making his testimony at the probe panel, and so his statement remains sacrosanct till the last is heard on the matter to ensure justice in the resolution of Ekitigate.”
He also warned Olayinka against attempt to discredit the entire probe process by saying that the military relied on Aluko’s lie to dismiss its top officers.
“The military top echelons are not fools to dismiss the affected officers on mere lies. They must have had their facts after presentation of documentary evidence and the affected officers defended themselves before they could arrive at the conclusion to sack the indicted officers.
“The Military High Command must note that the trick of criminals all over the world is to blackmail in order to curry undeserved sympathy.
“It is on this note that we urge the Army Council to release the full report of the probe panel to the public so that the military High Command does not fall victim to these characters in Ekiti State who are determined to discredit the military and the entire investigation process in the Ekiti State poll fraud.
“Fayose as a master of stunts can continue to entertain himself till eternity. Just as his military accomplices have met their comeuppance, so shall Fayose and his accomplices meet their waterloo at the conclusion of this battle between him and the Nigerian law,” he concluded.
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