Verdict on soldiers’ deployment for polls: Fayose blasts judges, insists Jonathan has power to deploy soldiers

The Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, on Thursday attacked the appellate court judges who affirmed a Federal High Court ruling that it is illegal to use soldiers for election duties.

Fayose while speaking during the monthly media chat, “Meet Your Governor,” accused the Justice Abdu Aboki-led five-man jury of “playing to the gallery” in holding that President Goodluck Jonathan lacks the power to deploy troops for elections.

The governor insisted that the President has the power to deploy the military to any part of the country, accusing the opposition and other critics of soldiers’ involvement in election of crying wolves where there was none.

He accused the APC of hypocrisy, saying the party which is vehemently opposed to the deployment of the military for election at the general election won the governorship election in Osun State even with the presence of the military.

But the APC slammed the governor accusing him of holding a revered institution like the judiciary in contempt, saying his latest verbal attack on Appeal Court judges smacked of contempt of court and brazen attempt to blackmail the judges in the course of performing their legitimate duties.

Fayose, who boasted that he is ready for elections anytime, accused the opposition of employing propaganda on the audio recording of a secret meeting with military officers and senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members during the June 21, 2014 governorship poll in Ekiti.

He promised the readiness of his administration for a peaceful conduct of the general election, warning the opposition in the state to stop their “noise making and useless propaganda.”

He said: “As far as we are concerned in the state and even my party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is concerned, we are ready for the general election if they are to hold today.

“I am assuring all that we will ensure peaceful conduct of the polls and I am appealing to the opposition to allow peace to reign too.

“The APC should also do away with undue propaganda. For instance, what they did not plead in their petition to the tribunal, they wanted to smuggle in.

“I have challenged them to go to court and prove their allegation of audio clip of where the military was used to rig the election of June last year.

“The victory at the Court of Appeal is for Ekiti people. Any action or propaganda is against the wish of the people.”