Date Published: 05/11/09
12th May 2009. Press Release.
LAGOS AC DEMANDS FULL DISCLOSURE ON EKITI BRIBERY SCANDAL.
The Lagos State chapter of the Action Congress has said that the security agencies must publicly unravel the people behind the monumental bribery scandal involving 31 officials of INEC, which rocked the conduct of the re-run elections in Ido Osi so as to arrest the predilection to mindless election rigging in the country. The party said it is not surprised that such disclosure is coming on the heels of the shameful manipulation of the Ekiti re-run election as it is only through such open bazaar as the one presently rocking INEC that the PDP can claim winning the re-run election.
In a release in Lagos, signed by the Lagos State Publicity Secretary of the AC, Joe Igbokwe, Lagos AC said that what is becoming very evident in the raging scandal is that the PDP has instituted a very huge corrupt empire that has eaten into every sector of the Nigerian society. It warned that Nigerians must decide what to do with the PDP or else watch as that cabal destroys the country for its self-serving ends.
“We are not surprised that so son after the bizarre electoral robbery in Ekiti State, the dirty deals that secured that latest heist is tumbling down to reveal the most shameless cases of corruption any self-respecting nation should be ashamed of. We are even surprised that these revelations are coming to public notice because similar acts of corruption had purchased undeserved electoral victories for the PDP in the past and have been swept under the carpet. We are surprised that the present PDP federal government is showing interest in the Ido Osi bazaar, even when it was complicit in the entire plan to rig the Ekiti re-run election.
“It is obvious that the over N250million scam in Ekiti was responsible for the farcical results from Ido Osi with which the PDP stole the mandate of the Ekiti people, through the most unconscionable of ways. Given the reprehensible manner the PDP suppressed the wishes of Ekiti people on who should govern them, we would be surprised if the present bribery scandal is not treated the way several other such scandals have been treated by this corruption-prone PDP government since 1999.
“From what Nigerians know of the PDP, the party is synonymous with mind-boggling cases of corruption and electoral fraud. We however warn that what is presently brewing in Ekiti should not be swept under the carpet or else, Nigerians will demand the resignation of this government for abetting economic fraud and electoral robbery. We want to assure the PDP that they would be held responsible for the collapse of the present democracy project they are abusing so abhorrently even when they never ever fought for it. We warn them not to treat the latest bribery scandal involving INEC staff in Ekiti as just another matter they can treat in their traditional way of promoting corruption. If they do, we promise them that Nigerians would react in a manner they will never believe is possible.
“Lagos AC calls on the judiciary to take notice of the malfeasance from Ekiti and the role it played in subverting callously the will of the people of Ekiti on April 25, 2009. We urge Nigerians to remain steadfast in ensuring the PDP is stopped from further inflicting such crimes against Nigerians. We urge Nigerians to demand for the prosecution of all those indicted over the Ekiti re-run bribery scandal, both the givers and receivers of the bribe. We urge Nigerians to insist that the relationship between the bribery scandal and the audacious suppression of the people’s electoral will in Ekiti State be disclosed. While we believe such will further the course of justice in Ekiti and further the ends of electoral reform.”
Joe Igbokwe.
Publicity Secretary,
Lagos AC.
