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Fayose Accuses Federal Government Of Plotting To Destabilise Ekiti

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has accussed the Federal Government of plotting to destabilise the state by arresting his Chief of Staff, Chief Dipo Anisulowo and detain him.

Fayose said that four unnamed members of the state House of Assembly are also slated for arrest and indefinite detention for treason.

The governor spoke at a press conference, which was held at the weekend in Abuja where he further alleged that the plot was being hatched by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and an unnamed Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN).

"A few days ago, we got it on good authority that there was a meeting with some politicians from Ekiti State including an Ekiti-born Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and self-professed human rights activist by agents of the Federal Government with the agenda solely on how to bring down my administration as governor of the state.

"Activities of these elements, who are obviously afraid of facing another electoral defeat in 2018 are being coordinated through office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and Attorney-General of the Federation.

"Certain top functionaries of the Ekiti State Government and some important members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state as well as some associates of mine have now been pencilled down for arrest and indefinite detention by the EFCC under the guise of investigating the funds spent by the PDP on the June 21, 2014 governorship and 2015 Presidential elections.

"The game plan is to make those to be arrested and get detained indefinitely force to make statements incriminating me, while at the same time feeding members of the public with orchestrated fake reports, using their usual media organs.

"This is coming after their failure to use the Department of State Security (DSS) to coerce members of the state House of Assembly to buy into the impeachment plot against me with a view to silencing me being a  major voice of the opposition.

"To achieve this sinister plot against the government and people of Ekiti State, we have been informed that some of their trusted allies in the EFCC have been mobilised to move to Ekiti any moment from now."

He urged the government and its agents to wait till the end of his tenure in 2018 when he would be available to answer any of their questions, no matter how unreasonable.

"While we are not afraid of persecution from anyone or government agency including EFCC and DSS, I wish to state that the level at which President Muhammad Buhari-led Federal Government is taking political vendetta and muzzling of opposition both in the PDP and within the APC is dangerous to the survival of democracy in the country.

"I wish to state unequivocally that no amount of intimidation, harassment, investigation, coercion would make me stop speaking on behalf of the common people, who freely gave their mandate to the APC, who are now daily failing them.

"Nigerians must, therefore, begin to ask the EFCC why it has refused to act on petitions against members . Why is EFCC only interested in how PDP funded its elections?

"Were the funds used for Buhari’s election got from the spirit world? Is EFCC now for persecution of PDP members? Must everyone that is not in APC be subject of EFCC harassment?

"It is now obvious that the current government is all out to move against and silence all voices in the opposition. We have examples in the detention of Femi Fani-Kayode, the persecution of Olisa Metuh, past National Publicity Secretary of PDP.

"It is worthy of note that I was among the governors whose illegal impeachment was orchestrated by the EFCC with the active connivance of Magu and the Ekiti SAN, a self- acclaimed human right activist, who is once again the coordinator current conspiracy against my person.

"I was unjustly arrested, humiliated and incarcerated for 50 days both in EFCC cell and Ikoyi Prison over allegation of phoney poultry that they could not prove in the law court at the long run as I was discharged and acquited.

"I just want to alert all Nigerians that they are at it again, but they won't succeed and I would not surrender nor lose my voice as a result of their harassment.

"I make bold to state that in the overall interest of democracy and well-being of Nigerians, I would continue to speak my mind on issues bordering on governance in Nigeria and I would not be intimidated!
"

I have not heard in the history of election anywhere in the world where polls are conducted without funding. I wish to state that there was no government funding of my election, it was funded purely by the private sector and organised donations within and outside the party.

"The current administration should be mindful that what goes round comes round. Those who are presently in charge of the Federal Government should be mindful of the fact that we all own Nigeria together and all Nigerians cannot belong to the APC.

"As a government, we have been transparent in the running of Ekiti State and for this, Ekiti State was rated as the Most Transparent State in Nigeria in terms of transparency in budgeting by Civil Resources Development Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) in conjunction with the British Department for International Development (DfID).

"Nigeria has got to a level where those of us holding powers should operate beyond politics and corruption fight should not be only about those who are not on the same page with the Federal Government, rather it should be inclusive of everyone, irrespective of political affiliation and must be done in accordance with the rule of law."

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