Retired Military Officers In Kaduna State Petition President Jonathan Over Classified Documents On How Governor Yero Intends To Rig 2015 Elections

By SaharaReporters, New York

A group of retired senior military officers from the Southern Kaduna area of Kaduna State has petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan and the Chief of Defence Staff over an alleged strategic plan, contained in leaked documents, to rig 2015 elections through rigging and violence under the instruction of Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero.

One of the petitioners who made copies of the classified documents available to SaharaReporters in Abuja shortly after the group submitted the petition, demanding a thorough investigation, said they are not leaving anything to chance, and will follow up the matter to a logical end and ascertain its authenticity.

“We are not comfortable with what we saw, more so, that there are trends in the state occurring that were well captured in the proposal. There is inconsistency in the dates and referencing, but we are all military intelligence officers and knew decoys and other deliberate tactics. And so we want thorough investigations, if anything happens we know those behind [it], the governor and his team of course. I will not give you contents of our petition but the classified documents.”

The documents feature a letter dated 17th April, 2013 emanating from the Governor’s Office, signed by his Principal Private Secretary, one Samaila Aliyu to Mallam Zubairu Sani, MD/CEO of Albarka Consult Abuja.  In it, the scribe, referring previous discussions and communications, said, “I am directed to inform you of the approval of His Excellency the Executive Governor for your firm to draw up a political plan of action for consideration and possible adoption and implementation on the way forward and consolidation of government structures towards 2015 elections.

“Henceforth, you are to liaise and work with the Director General, Media and Publicity Government House, Mallam Ahmed Maiyaki. Kindly treat this and all other correspondences as highly confidential, please.”

The political consultant, in his proposal to Yero as the documents reveal, proposes as follows:

• Immediate change of the leadership of the State House of Assembly. For the Speakership position, another member from Giwa constituency should replace the present speaker. This is to counter the threat and influence of the Yakawada camp.
• Reshuffle the cabinet in disguise as a ploy to make the commissioners relax, then fire them within 1to 3 months in their new positions when they would have had a false sense of satisfaction they would not be dissolved and make them open up on the activities of their ministries. This is to get rid of the Yakowa loyalists especially from zone 3.
• For political exigency, the PPS Aliyu Samaila should be re-assigned as was done to Timothy Gandu.
• Not quite long after your swear in the new commissioners, sack all remaining Yakowa appointees i.e. SAs, they are almost all loyal to late Yakowa especially Arc Natsa, Rev Hayab, Edward Pati amongst others.

On how to appoint new commissioners, the documents, further contain the following suggestions, one of which confirmed a recent SaharaReporters story, stating:

• Commissioner’s appointment should be handled with tact to avoid suspicious that the dissolution was targeted at Yakowa loyalists still in government. Those to make the list should be; from zone 1 at least one state party executive official, from central zone 2 former commissioners /local govt council chairmen and from zone 3 a woman should be appointed (will make a recommendation of names and forward same, soonest).
• Political adviser is not smart enough and proactive, he should be removed and that will be your basis to sack advisers. He should however be given a soft landing not to send a signal of disarray within the camp.
• Get some Southern Kaduna Elders to endorse your government as an extension of Yakowa government and rubbish the opposition ACN and CPC, together with Buhari, Atiku and others. Senator Haruna Zego Aziz or Engr. Bawa Magaji should be considered for this task.

With specific reference to how the Kaduna State Governor will guarantee winning the 2015 election in view of the tough politics being projected, the classified documents further suggest:

• Ensure that there is an over-registration of voter’s card lists across all wards in the state especially in Zone 3 (Southern Kaduna) doubtful and unfriendly areas.
• There should be provision of a secured exclusive place where ballot thumb printing will be done.
• There should be a backup plan to ensure that where necessary election violence is triggered.
• Fake election materials should be secured as a backup.
• Where necessary, election conduct should run into the night.
• There should be sudden radio and television announcement of “our own” election result when it’s deemed necessary.