Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has frowned at the persistent
harassment of Nigerians by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC), describing the continued detention without trial of
Mr. Warimopei Dudafa, a former Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs
to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and invasion of the Abuja residence
of former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode as
irresponsible, barbaric and undemocratic.
Governor Fayose said it was the height of executive rascality for the
EFCC to have held occupants of Fani-Kayode's residence hostage for
eight hours despite that he was only invited to come to the EFCC
office on Monday and there was no evidence that Fani-Kayode refused to
honour the EFCC invitation.
According to the governor's Special Assistant on Public Communications
and New Media, Lere Olayinka, "EFCC under President Mohammadu Buhari
is acting as if it is above the law and Nigerians and the
international community must remind the commission that we are in a
democracy where rule of law is sacrosanct."
The governor said actions of the EFCC have shown clearly that it is an
instrument of victimisation against oppositions in the country, adding
the anti-graft agency should go and study how other anti-corruption
agencies in other countries behave.
He said; "the EFCC must be reminded of the judgement delivered in
March, this year by Justice Yusuf Haliru of the Federal High Court in
Nicholas Arinse Vs EFCC & Nigerian Army where the judge held that the
EFCC did not behave as if we were in a civilised society and that the
anti-graft commission was behaving as if we were in a military
dictatorship, where they arrest and release person at will.
"In the case of the former Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to
ex-President Jonathan, no one is saying those suspected of corrupt
practices should not be investigated and tried, but it is wrong for
Warimopei Dudafa to have been kept in EFCC custody for over two weeks
without trial.
"Also, it is a demonstration of barbarism for the same EFCC that
invited Fani-Kayode to its office on Monday to have invaded his house
yesterday, holding the occupants hostage for eight hours when there is
no evidence that Fani-Kayode refused to honour EFCC invitation.
"Why the show of barbarism by the EFCC as if Nigeria is now back to
1984 when Buhari was a military dictator?"
While calling on the international community to pay attention to the
abuse of rights of Nigerians and threat to democracy under President
Buhari, Fayose said; "It is obvious that democracy in Nigeria is
becoming unsafe in the hands of Buhari's government."
He said Nigerians must begin to ask the EFCC what happened to the
several petitions written against APC leaders and financiers of
President Buhari's election, including former governors, adding that
it was worrisome that the EFCC and the Department of State Services
(DSS) have become President Buhari's instrument of political
victimisation.
Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE
Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner
0 comments:
Post a Comment