Buhari And Invasion Of Akwa Ibom Govt House
Buhari
PRESIDENT Mohammadu Buhari’s government is now 100 days and even though I align with most Nigerians, who opined that 100 days is too short in the life of a government, it is important to make some clarifications as regarding the administration. This is more so that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and some political jobbers that are looking for appointments are praising the President, citing imaginary achievements.
As at today, the only achievement recorded by the President Buhari’s government is the harassment of leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and those perceived as not on the same political page with the president in his party.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan and those who worked with him as well as PDP governors and leaders are now targets of harassment, and by this, the president is telling Nigerians that it does not pay to be honourable. Dr Goodluck Jonathan was honourable enough to allow a peaceful transition and conceded to the president even though it was obvious that his victory was questionable. Visiting such a person and those who worked with him with persecution as being done now, is no doubt a sad reminder of the reason we have many sit-tight leaders in Africa.
Interestingly, some of those who worked with Dr Goodluck Jonathan that the APC called thieves are now being appointed to manage the affairs of international organisations like the World Bank and African Development Bank.
Lopsided and illegal appointments
In the last 100 days of President Buhari, appointments made have shown the president’s insensitivity to the ethnic diversity of Nigeria and contempt for the Constitution of the country. The South-East has been totally neglected as if the likes of Dr. Ogbonnaiya Onu who was earlier touted as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and others in the region do not merit appointments. This is unacceptable.
Appointment of Buharis’s in-law, Mrs Amina Zakari as Acting Chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); APC member, Alhaji Lawal Daura as Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS) and Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd) as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, clearly violated the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.
Anti-Corruption Crusade
While I am in total support of the fight against corruption, it is my opinion that corruption can neither be fought along political party lines nor through the media.
What is being witnessed presently as fight against corruption is mere noise-making, witch-hunt and harassment of perceived political opponents of the president. This is more so that most of the political allies of the President and those who sponsored his election are also being accused of corruption and the president is looking the other way. Most importantly, the Halliburton bribery scandal must be revisited.
Invasion Of Akwa Ibom Govt House
The major sore-point of the 100 days of President Buhari is the last Thursday invasion of the Akwa Ibom State Government House by armed men of the DSS.
Nigeria is a Federation, with 36 States Federating Units and in a federation, the component states are in some sense sovereign. Therefore, what happened in Akwa Ibom Government House last Thursday was clearly a government (FG) authorising the invasion of another government (State Government). Even during the dark days of the Military, it never happened in Nigeria.
The invasion of Akwa Ibom State Government House by armed men of the DSS deserves condemnation from all men of goodwill, including State Governors. It was Akwa Ibom last week; it could be the turn of any other governor irrespective of political party tomorrow.
Today, we are also being informed that it will soon be the turn of Ekiti State. We await Alhaji Lawal Daura’s men, but we assure him that Ekiti people will always rise to defend their government.
Conclusion
I commend the president for his efforts at ending the Boko Haram insurgency and I wish to call on all Nigerians to support the President in restoring peace to the Boko Haram ravaged North Eastern part of Nigeria.
As we look forward to the end of the honeymoon of Buhari’s presidency, I wish to state that if supposed men of honour are going underground because of possible harassment and intimidation, I, Peter Ayodele Fayose will not; because this is our fatherland.
Most importantly, those regarding President Buhari as a saint should know that he is not. The president is not also the Almighty God that cannot be questioned. After all, the beauty of democracy is in credible opposition.
As for me, I have been comfortable before I became governor and will not because of cheap publicity deceive Nigerians with declaration of cattle herds and mud houses as assets.
Today, I have expressed my mind concerning the 100 days of Buhari’s presidency as I did before the election. This I have done basically to remind Nigerians that I told them then, and it is happening now.
May God be with the President and bless Nigeria.
• Ayodele Fayose is Governor, Ekiti State
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10 Comments
Your excellency going through your opinion makes one sad. Even though you said “Former President Goodluck Jonathan and those who worked with him as well
as PDP governors and leaders are now targets of harassment,” you failed to provide one instance where former president JEG was harassed. As to the appointment of the two women to World bank position surely it was not due to their PDP government exposure as PMB clearly worked for the appointment by sending former VP Atiku to lobby for the ADB chief.
On the Akwa Ibom invasion, why not sue the invaders and IF indeed t was PMB then the whole nation would see the truth of the situation and surely we would not keep quiet. On appointments Is there any Law that stipulates who and from where the SGF must come from; afterall the South East have held that position for how long before now? As a Governor you have a duty to be fair and honest in your opinions, PMB has never mouthed anything deplorable against JEG, it is the Media using people like you to discredit the administration.
Why waste your energy Maigari?
Do you believe Fayose is someone you can engage in a logical and intelligent conversation?
Its bad enough that one should bother to read what he writes (or pays others to write in his name). But to respond to such idiocy is a monumental waste of precious time and energy. If Fayose or his proxy was capale of discerning the logic in your response he would not have written this article in the first place.
This is the same Fayose who swore that Buhari would not live to become president all in the name of campaigning for GEJ. Then after the elections he referred to this same GEJ as stupid. Now he has assumed the full time job of denigrating GMB, abandoning his more pressing duties of running Ekiti state affairs. The man clearly has a curse on his head. He is set on the path to self destruction and he is looking for a high profile scapegoat to hold responsible for his ultimate destruction. Leave the insane man dancing naked in the market place to his devices!
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It might interest you to read the opinion of Wole Olaoye in the Daily trust of today on Fayose titled “Fayose as metaphor to cool your heightened tempers on Fayose!
https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/opinion/fayose-as-metaphor/110591.html
Gov Fayose wrote like a small boy. He merely collated, albeit disjointedly, what many frustrated/bad belly commentators have been saying of Buhari in the press and sent it to the Guardian as his article. I guess if Fayose wasn’t a state governor the Guardian, surely, wouldn’t have a space for this kind of unrefreshing write-up.
Fayose, you spoke to incite the Igbo against Buhari, when you spoke against the appointment the president has so far made. You mentioned witch-hunt and at the same time said the president is looking the other way as those who sponsored his election are being prosecuted. What is the dictionary meaning of witch hunt? Anyway, on Buhari’s staffing I invite you to read the short piece I wrote in the Guardian the other day. For your sake I reproduce it here: https://guardian.ng/2015/09/the-daura-mafia/#disqus_thread
Read before you criticize the governor, he said he look the other way when those that sponsored his election are been accused for corruption. His write up is a good account of the situation on the ground, but I do not agree with him on Igbos appointment at this time. He should let the president show us his full cabinet before we conclude and judge him.
There is no incitement in his writeup you are the one trying to whip sentiment into it , let’s say what is wrong is wrong for democracy to grow
Wonderful write up
The forces of impunity can not succeed in the world of democracy
Fayose put it correctly , today its akwa ibom tomorrow it will be another state, idi amin started like that , a time will come even party members will not be free, democracy is not a form of government for strong men
Amongst the numerous campaign promises of PMB is his anti-corruption fight. Why should fayose and his cronies now nail a man for trying fulfill a promise he made?
When did Akwa Ibom government house hire fayose as it’s spokesperson? Fayose should go and sit down and tend to giving good governance to citizens of Ekiti.
As regards appointments, my question to Fayose is ‘is there still a lot of offices to be filled? ‘ if yes, then fayose shouldn’t sow the seed of ethnic marginalisation.
PMB has declared his assets. You cannot do anything about it, if you are so good at asset declaration, will you kindly declare yours and let the world see your level of decadence and corruption……….though I don’t expect much better from a motor park tout.
We will review and take appropriate action.