Fayose’s Invitation: Confirmation Of The Predictability Of A Vindictive FG -By Ifeanyichukwu Mmoh

I am not the spokesperson for His Excellency former governor Ayodele “The Rock” Fayose of Ekiti state neither am I the publicity secretary for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but one thing I have come to hate about this government in power is the ease with which one could predict almost every of their moves – especially moves aimed at strangulating the opposition.

For the records, they threatened to show The Rock the stuff they are made of after bribing their way into the government house in Ado-Ekiti simply because Mr. Fayose assumed the role of opposing the government at the center. In the days the PDP held sway, one can not exactly remember any time the opposition was threatened in the manner it’s done today.

But that’s not the trouble. The trouble seems to be the manner in which a simple invitation from the EFCC to Fayose had turned into a drama of sorts. Reports claimed that the ex-governor would be required to remain in the custody of the EFCC pending the outcome of their investigation but this negates the norm where folks were invited, interrogated and allowed to go home pending the outcome.

Fayose at EFCC Office, Abuja.

Although, there are claims that the ex-governor refused to yield useful answers to the questions thrown at him; compounding issues in the process, rather than solving it. Mr. Fayose should be reminded that in as much as no right-thinking Nigeria will sit and watch the EFCC and her paymaster trample on the rights of its citizens; government – he should know – is serious business. Hence, it will do him good if he cooperated with authorities in a gentleman fashion.

Needless to say that it was vindictive for government to chase after Mr. Fayose in the manner it did, thus making every watcher of government business to assume even those things that may not have informed government’s decision to invite the ex-governor. This is condemnable. It is unacceptable because for one; this same government has not shown cause for why the duo of Engr. Babachir Lawal and Amb. Ayo Oke is yet to be arraigned in court.

Since the ouster of Col. Lawal Daura (rtd) from office as DG for the DSS, the hasty manner in which Mr. Fayose is been invited by the EFCC did not play out in the case of Daura. We only heard he was placed under house arrest and after that, was released. On whose authority the release was effected; no one can tell. Now, does this not show that Nigeria – under the APC and Buhari leadership – was fast turning into another Banana Republic on the African continent?

Even for the government to pretend for a second by refraining from actions that everyone has predicted it would carry out; they can not. If you let me, I’ll score this government an F9 on diplomacy, relationship, rule of law, subtlety and even intelligence. They seem to be colonial in style and military in action. This is one government that has made many to shed tears. This is one government that has closed down the source of livelihood of its poor citizens without any show of remorse. How many have committed suicide? How many are contemplating to do so at the moment?

It’s a shame that when government should busy herself drawing up the score card for the last three years of stewardship; it is embroiled in a commando drama with Mr. Fayose. The annoying part is that after all said and done, the case goes dormant for a long while like the ones before it.

If this government was truly busy; many expect Mr. Fayose’s case to come up for attention perhaps 6 months from now going by what they kept telling us was their success records in the anti-corruption war. You can see now that either the government was idle or they lied. Should I catalogue the names that are overdue for arraignment, Mr. Fayose’s name may come up in 2020 or beyond.

Charges of allegedly collecting a huge sum from the former minister of defense Chief Obanikoro is one that can not be ignored. However, whatever means that was been adopted for the prosecution must fall within the standards of civility as well as within the ambit of the law. Many Nigerians have responded to the claims by the EFCC of having obtained a valid legal backing from an Abuja high court as laughable.

They wondered where the fundamental human rights law went to for such an order to be given that a suspect should spent 2 weeks or even more in detention pending investigation. Surely, the coming days are lined with interesting stories as this drama unfold but before then Nigerians are also questioning the rationale behind Mr. Magu’s denial of the threat tape in circulation: Is it to show civility as an enforcement agency or is it for image laundering? Which?

Comrade Ifeanyichukwu Mmoh is an advocate for attitudinal change and a researcher. 08062577718.