The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as untenable and an after-thought the statement credited to President Goodluck Jonathan as the reason why the Ekiti rigging audio tape has not been investigated, saying the President’s waffling on the issue shows he may have something to hide.
In a statement issued in London on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the President was wrong to have said the rigging audio tape had not been investigated because the army captain who leaked it had not come forward to authenticate it.
It wondered whether the President would have toed the same line if the tape had revealed that the APC colluded with the military to rig the Ekiti election in favour of the APC candidate.
APC said the security agencies need no prodding or even a presidential directive to launch an investigation into a weighty issue that amounts to a subversion of democracy.
”Some people were found to be undermining democracy using a powerful national institution like the military, and all the President could say is that there will be no investigation until the officer who secretly recorded the tape has come forward to authenticate it. What a disingenuous argument!
”Is the President not aware that Capt. Sagir Koli, who recorded the tape, went into hiding because his life was in danger?
Is the President not aware of the fate that befell Capt. Koli’s 15-year-old younger brother who was arrested and tortured at a military facility in Ibadan over the issue?
Does the President not appreciate the patriotism which the officer exhibited by exposing those who criminally subverted democracy?” the party queried.
It wondered on what basis the President declared the audio tape a fabrication when he has now confessed that he has not even listened to it, and when almost all those who were at the rigging meeting, including Musiliu Obanikoro, Ayodele Fayose, Jelili Adesiyan and Iyiola Omisore, have now owned up to attending the meeting.
”Unless President Jonathan is afraid of what an investigation into the tape may reveal, he should be in the forefront of those calling for an investigation. This is because, according to the major players in the rigging tape, the Ekiti rigging assignment was done expressly in the name of the President.
”Obanikoro invoked the President’s name, saying he sent him to clinch victory for the PDP in the Ekiti governorship election. Unless the statement made by Obanikoro is true, the President has no business seeking to delay, even for one day, the investigation into the very serious allegations contained in the tape. The presence of Capt. Koli is not a necessary pre-condition for an investigation into the rigging allegation.
”We are therefore repeating our call for an urgent investigation of the Ekiti rigging audio and at the same time demanding that all those who are found to have willfully subverted democracy be tried for treason. For the avoidance of doubt, no matter how long it takes, we will ensure that all those involved in the Ekiti show of shame are brought to justice,” APC said.
The party advised President Jonathan to immediately summon his aides to play the audio tape of the meeting and the video tape of the subsequent interview with Capt. Koli for him, so that he will be able to make an informed judgement on it, instead of making incoherent and confounding statements on the issue.