Date Published: 05/07/09

Ekiti: How alleged Security Reports on Tinubu truncated Fayemi’s Guber Destiny

Bola Tinubu

Facts behind the intrigues of Mr. Kayode Fayemi’s loss in Tuesday’s Ekiti State governorship election have started unraveling. The iron will determination and desperate disposition of the people’s Democratic Party (PDP) controlled central government in Nigeria to secure victory at all costs was allegedly aimed at decisively stopping the growing political influence and power of Ex- Lagos governor, Mr. Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

Pointblanknews.com can authoritatively reveal that PDP government did meddle in the elections in Ekiti State thereby putting the nail on the ambition of human right activist, Dr. Kayode Fayemi. Armor tanks were allegedly rolled into Ekiti State on the day of the election. In Oye Local Government where 18,000 voters were expected, only about 1,000 people eventually cast their ballots. Electorates were palpably scared and instead of showing up at the polling boots, they simply went to the farms and when they returned, the PDP had secured a tactical victory.

The undercurrents behind Dr. Fayemi’s loss are now coming into the open.

According to sources, who bargained for anonymity, Fayemi’s strong link with Tinubu and the huge pull of money, the later threw in the Ekiti race to prosecute the contest was a source of serious concern for the PDP government.

One source told pointblanknews.com that the government tapped into a mountain-high intelligence report on the worrisome political clout of ex-governor Tinubu.

First, he was said to have been the largest financial backer for the election of the present Ghanaian President, John Evans Atta Mills. A Nigerian Intelligence source has since confirmed this disclosure.

Second, Tinubu popularly called the Asiwaju (Leader) was said to have bankrolled the election of Governor Rahman Mimiko of Ondo, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo and that of Governor Kehinde Fasola of Lagos State.

He was also alleged to have tried albeit unsuccessfully to install governors for Osun and Oyo States before the last backing for Kayode Fayemi in Ekiti State.

The same intelligence report was said to have contained details of an estimated monthly receipt of two billion naira ($ 20 million) from Lagos State government, on alleged pretext of tax consulting.

Apart from what sources claimed to be Federal Government’s awareness on on-going similar arrangements with Oshiomhole and Mimiko, there was also the confusion as what Tinubu’s agenda or future ambition might be.

. He is also said to have interest in some questionable oil investments for which he is still answerable before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The Federal Government was said to have received initial representation from a so-called Ekiti concerned citizens, who reportedly told President Umar Musa Yar’Adua that they needed assistance to ensure that Ekitis are not sold cheaply to Tinubu.

The concerned citizens were said to have appealed to the president to ensure that the Ekiti Parapo war which their ancestors fought nearly two centuries ago, to reject internal colonization from other stronger Yoruba cities to the West, was not rendered to naught by Tinubu’s forays. And Yar’Adua acted.

Apart from the unclear agenda of Tinubu’s growing influence in West Africa and South West Nigeria, the government felt intimidated by his interest in the media. Some of the sources insisted that the Asiwaju had to be checked “so as not to have any person or group that would think they are greater than the country”. However, Tinubu’s political associates dismissed the existence of a so-called security report saying that the PDP “must be ashamed of rigging the election. They are mearly struggling to win the propaganda war over their shameless conduct”.

Meanwhile, PDP sources in Ekiti are denying that the election was rigged on Tuesday. According to them, they were simply favored by the low turn-out in Oye and Ido-Osi local government. Action Congress claimed that voter’s intimidation was responsible for the low turn-out and vowed to contest the result at the Law Court.