Fayose Says Army Panel Report Inconsequential

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has said that the report submitted by the military panel established to investigate allegations of unprofessional conduct against soldiers during the Ekiti, Osun, Rivers and Akwa Ibom State governorship elections, is of no effect. The governor noted that the report only favours the army since the panel was set up by them. The governor further insisted that he emerged victorious in the election, and that Nigerians should also ask questions as to whether it was the military that assisted the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to win the Presidential, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections last year. Fayose in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, argued that his reaction to the panel report was just to put the records straight as all legal avenues regarding election in the office of a state governor had been explored by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and judgements entered against the party by the Tribunal, Appeal Court and the Supreme Court, which is the final court on governorship election matters. He noted that the dispute of the governorship election has since become functus officio because once a Tribunal has reached a final decision in respect to the matter that is before it in accordance with its enabling statute, that decision cannot be revisited because the Tribunal has changed its mind, made an error within jurisdiction or because there has been a change of circumstances. Fayose further recalled that the US that the US Department of State and other International Observers, which observed the election, noted in their report that the process was credible and efficient, and that security forces collaborated effectively in providing a safe environment free of major incidents. “Now that the military has indicted itself, good luck to them. Meanwhile, we await whatever hidden agenda behind this self-indictment,” he said.