President Goodluck Jonathan Speaks On Ekiti Rigging Tape

President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the inability of Sagir Koli, the army Captain who leaked the Ekiti-rigging audiotape, to come forward and authenticate the tape, is the reason investigation into the matter cannot proceed.
 

 

The president told Thisday Newspaper, that he has been told by the head of the Department of State Security, DSS when he inquired if an investigation about the leaked audiotape.
Below is what President Jonathan said about the rigging audiotape;

“In fact, when this story came up, I asked the DG Department of State Security Service if they had investigated the matter, and he told me that they had some investigations, and then called for the person who claimed he recorded it and that he disappeared and nobody can reach him.”

“There was no formal petition before them, but because of the general interest, they wanted to have him interviewed to know where this was coming from. If someone comes up with a spurious allegation that has no substance and the person disappears, of course, what do you want me to do? Definitely, anytime we get him, he’ll have to substantiate his allegations. There are a lot of false stories being circulated and it is very sad,” he added.

On why he said the story could be fabricated, the president said;
“I have not watched the video. I said that it was a fabrication because, you see, people now, especially with the social media; we could be here and discuss issues and somebody will hack some of our voices and create a story that never happened.

“Therefore I am not saying that a meeting in question was held or not held, but the issue of conspiring to rig, I said it was a fabrication,” he said.

The President did not explain why Mr. Koli needed to validate the recording before investigations could be launched into the scandal.

He also did not say whether security agencies must always wait for petitions before investigating weighty issues such as the Ekiti rigging scandal.

Mr. Jonathan admitted that he has not even listened to the tape. He however tried to save face by saying he originally dismissed it as a fabrication, despite admissions from key actors the meeting actually held, because the person who recorded it did so to achieve a particular purpose and could have manipulated the discussion.

 

 

It will be recalled that Professor Wole Soyinka has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission for a proper investigation and probe of the alleged Ekiti rigging tape that was leaked by a Nigerian army officer, Captain Sagir Koli.

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