The military’s probe of some
of its officers’ and men’s partisan involvement in the 2014 governorship
elections in Osun and Ekiti states has commenced.
A five-man panel of officers
led by the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna,
Major General Adeniyi Oyebade, as President, announced the take off of the
probe yesterday in Kaduna.
Also to be probed is the
involvement of some officers in electoral malpractices during the general
elections.
Army Spokesman Col. Sani Usman
last month in a statement said the military would examine the involvement of
its officers to forestall a recurrence.
The then ruling party – the People’s
Democratic Party (PDP) – is believed to have used the army to aid its victory
in the June 21, 2014 Ekiti governorship poll.
Soldiers were allegedly used
to intimidate the All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwarts in Ekiti and in
Osun State, whose governorship election held on August 9.
Army Captain Sagir Koli later
revealed detail of how the military was used to rig the Ekiti election.
The panel will sit at the
headquarters of 1 Division Nigerian Army in Kaduna. Col. Danladi Salihu is the
panel secretary.
Other members of the panel
are: Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Kabuk, Brig. Gen. Sunday Araoye,
and Brig. Gen. Baba Ibrahim
Maj-Gen Oyebade said the panel
will submit its report within the next two weeks to Chief of Army Staff (COAS),
Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai.
The panel’s President urged
individuals with useful information to visit the panel and testify. He said the
investigation is open to the public even though it is a purely military affair.
Gen. Oyebade said: “As most of
you are aware, the last general elections conducted in March 2015 elicited criticism
in some quarters, especially from the general public, particularly in the
conduct of some Nigerian Army personnel during the governorship and
presidential elections.
“These allegations were
centred on the governorship elections conducted in some states such as Ekiti,
Osun, Rivers and Akwa-Ibom, to mention but a few.
“It is therefore based on all
these weighty allegations that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf
Buratai on assumption of Command, articulated his vision of having a professionally
responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles,
instituted this Board of Inquiry.
“The panel is to investigate
these allegations and recommend appropriate measures to prevent a reoccurrence
in the future.
“The military as a noble
profession of arms must remain apolitical in our democratic dispensation.
Politics, we strongly believe should be left entirely to the politicians.
“I must hasten to add however,
that in spite of these worrisome allegations, the military as to a large extent
performed creditably as the foremost guardian of the nation’s democracy.
“On this note, I will like to
call on all the strata in the society and of course, the general public to
please as a matter of urgency, appear in person if they so wish and forward
their petitions in form of memorandum either personally to Headquarters 1
Division Nigerian Army, Kawo, Kaduna or via courier addressed to the secretary,
panel of investigation on elections, HQ 1Division, Kawo, Kaduna”.
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