APC, CNPP, others protest alleged ‘kleptocracy’ in Ekiti

Early morning businesses were temporarily halted in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital on Thursday by protesters who demanded the impeachment of Governor Ayodele Fayose over alleged looting of the state treasury and being a beneficiary of the N4.2b firearms scam deal.

The protesters, who urged for judicial interpretation of immunity and impunity said, “immunity has become impunity in Ekiti State, where kleptocracy is the order of the day”.

The protesters, comprising of All Progressives Congress (APC), Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and other anti-Fayose groups expressed their support for the anti-corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari and urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to also beam its searchlight on the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.

But reacting to the protest, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Idowu Adelusi described the allegations against Fayose as baseless, noting that, “even the political EFCC has not accused the governor of tampering with Ekiti money”.

He advised APC and other anti-Fayose groups to wait till 2018 when the governor will willingly submit himself to the EFCC and he did in 2006.

The protesters also described the action of the EFCC freezing accounts operated by Fayose in Zenith Bank Plc for allegedly containing N1.3 billion slush fund from the office of the National Security Adviser(NSA), Col. Sambo
Dasuki to fund the governor’s campaign in 2014 “as a right step to stop kleptocracy in Ekiti State”.

A Large retinue of policemen and men of the Department of State Security (DSS) were deployed to provide cover for the mammoth crowd that attended the rally.

The placard-carrying protesters marched from Fajuyi park through Okeyinmi and stopped at Ijigbo area where they were addressed by leaders of each group.

They chanted anti-Fayose’s songs to deride the way the governor had allegedly been looting the state, especially his alleged indictment in the N1.2 billion arms fund, an alleged collection of kickbacks from contractors handling various projects in the state to buy multi-billion naira property in Lagos and Abuja.

The APC acting Chairman in Mrs. Kemi Olaleye, expressed regret about how the immunity conferred on Governor Fayose in line with section 308 of the constitution, had been impeding his prosecution for alleged embezzlement of funds.

“We are tired of immunity clause. Immunity has become impunity in Ekiti. We condemn Governor Fayose’s corrupt tendencies. Things must change. The EFCC must do its job and ensure that looters of Ekiti are brought to justice”, she said.

A statement presented by the CNPP Chairman in the state, Mr. Tunji Ogunlola, challenged Fayose to waive his immunity and face prosecution over alleged involvement in N4.7 billion arms deal alongside former Minister of State for Defence , Musiliu Obanikoro and PDP governorship candidate in Osun State in the last poll, Mr. Iyiola Omisore.

“On the issue of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, we ask the 17 members alleged to have falsified their certificates to submit themselves for prosecution. It is very unfortunate that their primary roles have been abandoned for Fayose’s defence.

“We also plead with the federal government not to release bailout for payment of salary to Governor Fayose. The Federal Ministry of Finance should pay into workers’ accounts directly because we have lost confidence in the government. The previous N9.6b bailout should be probed.

“We want to commend the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris and Director General of the DSS, Mr. Lawal Daura for probing alleged political thuggery leveled against PDP government in Ekiti.

“We also want a special force to be deployed to Ekiti to maintain peace in Ekiti State because our lives are no longer save .

“We passed a vote of confidence on President Buhari for fighting corruption and for all his developmental programmes”, he said.

A students’ representative, Comrade Samuel Olaoluwa , commended the EFCC for coming up with comprehensive data of how Fayose allegedly looted Ekiti, saying nothing must be spared to ensure that all the monies are recovered and culprits prosecuted for Ekiti to move forward.

“We must join the anti-graft agency in the battle against corruption that is killing Ekiti State. We should stop
politicizing issues of graft because it affects every facet of the country. We must stop this act of impunity and return Ekiti to the path of honour, glory and sanity”, he said.

Adelusi said, “The APC protesters asking Fayose to wave his immunity are doing so out of ignorance and desperation to win the state in 2018 knowing that their aim can only be achieved if Fayose is out of the way. But it is a failed agenda ab initio because we are ever ready for them on daily bases like soldiers guarding the entrance of military formation.

“They should know that this is 2016 and not 2006T. heir whole agenda is about 2018 and their game plans are what we are now seeing using the EFCC to ‎ concoct lies and using the media to disparage Governor Fayose, but they can’t go far.

“For now, the APC and the mad dogs of President Muhammadu Buhari should not be too desperate for Fayose to defend himself against the myriads of allegations, but rather wait till 2018 for the governor to submit himself to EFCC as he did in 2007.

“Till now, even the political EFCC has not alleged Fayose of stealing Ekiti money and if it is concocting one, we shall meet in the court at the appropriate time.

“It is only in Nigeria under APC – led government that Chief Jide Awe, an accuse having murder case hanging on its neck will be the person who coordinated the 102 petitions written against one person. The petition itself is laughable and it shows that the writers have no common sense.

“As far as we know, no amount of harassment or intimidation or character assassination will make members of Ekiti State House of Assembly succumb to pressures to go against the Governor. The legislators know that their governor has not done any wrong thing”