Why Investigation Into Ekiti-rigging Tape Is Stalemated – Jonathan

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

Mr. Jonathan told Thisday
newspaper that he inquired
from the head of the
Department of State Security,
DSS, if the agency was
investigating the matter, but
was told that investigation
could not proceed because Mr.
Koli, who went underground
after he was tipped off about
the order from the army
hierarchy to arrest him, has not
come forward to validate the
audio.
After Mr. Koli escaped, his 15-
year-old brother, Ahmadu Koli,
a pupil of Army Children
School, who was staying with
him, was arrested, tortured at
a military facility in Ibadan
Oyo, and detained for about
five months.
“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,” Mr. Jonathan said.
“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 is a lot of false stories
being circulated and it is very
sad,” he added.
Mr. Jonathan admitted that he
has not even listened to the
tape. He tried to save face
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 fit a particular purpose
and could have manipulated
the discussion.
“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,” he said.
“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.