Shema’s prosecution is political, says Fayose

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has described the ongoing trial of former governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema as a mere political persecution.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka said: “Those holding power in the state are finding it difficult to match the unprecedented performance of Shema while in office. They decided to prosecute him to cover up their failure in governance.”

Fayose said Shema’s trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was a plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to incapacitate the opposition.

He cautioned that the second term ambition of President Muhammadu Buhari would not be achieved on the basis of intimidation.

He urged the Federal Government to save the people from starvation instead of fighting to weaken the financial strength of its perceived enemies in the other political parties.

The governor described the actions of the APC-led government as designed to actualise Buhari’s second term ambition.

“It is another sad experience in democratic governance that Shema who performed well and left over N3 billion in the state’s treasury, is now being humiliated because some people believe in continuing in power by destroying the opposition.

“Despite the fact that Shema made himself available to the EFCC on September 16, 2016, he was kept in detention for more than two weeks to humiliate him as directed by the powers in Kastina and Abuja,” he said.