Group Slams Fayose Over Solidarity With Kanu
Some interest groups in Ekiti State have berated Governor Ayodele Fayose over his dramatic appearance at an Abuja Federal High Court where he showed solidarity with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu.
While the state chapter of Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) slammed the governor for allegedly “bringing governance to a ridiculous level and assaulting the sensibilities of the Yoruba nation” by his Tuesday’s gesture, the Progressive Youth League (PYL) criticized Fayose “for abandoning serious business of governance in his home state to run a comedy show in faraway Abuja in a matter that does not concern him.”
The groups which took exception to the statement credited to the governor that “Ekiti now belongs to Biafra warned him against using his position to fan the embers of discord, disunity and crisis in the Nigerian federation.
But Governor Fayose, in a statement said he attended the trial of the leader of the IPOB in Abuja because of his belief in ensuring justice for all, irrespective of where one hails from.
In the statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, he quoted the governor as saying he would never support a situation whereby court orders, rulings and judgments are disregarded by the government, promising to also attend the trials of former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (Rtd), and the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
“The Federal Government are the ones making Kanu a hero. Anywhere in the world, agitation is normal. In the United Kingdom, there is agitation in Northern Ireland, even; United Kingdom itself is agitating in Europe. Let people agitate for whatever reason as long as it is constitutional. I am not in support of the breakup of Nigeria.
But when court grants bail to people, release them and allow them to attend their trials from home.
“I have no personal relationship with Kanu but I have been consistent in drawing attention of Nigerians to the trend of not regarding court orders and rulings by the present Federal Government. I am from the North, East, West and South of this country. I am a complete and
detribalised Nigerian. I will attend the trial of Dasuki and El-Zakzaky too. Courts in the land and even ECOWAS Court directed that Dasuki be released but the government has refused to heed the call,” he said.
According to a statement by ARG Coordinator, Bunmi Akanbi Awotiku in the state, the group said it was not oblivious of the constitutional immunity and fundamental human enjoyed by Fayose but condemned the abuse of those rights you the governor.
Awotiku said: “Despite receipts of monthly statutory federal allocation, budget support funds, bailout funds running into billions of Naira, Ekiti workers are under the yoke of non-receipt if their monthly salaries and allowances.
“The pensioners are not faring better; this is a governor displaying executive rascality all over Ekiti State and beyond. He has brought governance to a ridiculous level. He can be excused for his own style of leadership and manner of delivery but there are well designed standards for the office which he occupies but which he brings to ridicule.
“His recent solidarity visit to Nnamdi Kanu who has insulted and holds the Yoruba nation with disrespect is an executive rascality taken too far. Notwithstanding the political motive, his solidarity is an insult and affront to the true Omo Oduduwas at home and Diaspora.
“Ekiti State chapter of Afenifere Renewal Group implore him (Fayose to carry out his assignment with the fear of God and respect to the needs and yearnings of Ekiti people. We take exception to his determination to rubbish our valued heritage.
“We hereby implore him to face governance in our dear state, bring smiles to the faces of government worker both in the state and local governments, make pensioners happy and enjoy the fruit of their labour. This political rascality and razzmatazz must stop.”
PYL Coordinator Adeoye Aribasoye said the action of Fayose shows that he is idle and does not understand the seriousness of the business of governance. He said a lot of issues requiring Fayose’s attention has been abandoned for a “needless trip to Abuja at the expense of tax
Payers.”
He advised Fayose to resign from office if he is no longer interested in governing the people of the state saying the office of governor is not meant for a person who cannot differentiate serious issues from inanities.
Aribasoye said: “Fayose’s action of going to the court in Abuja to show support for Kanu has nothing to do with the welfare of the people of Ekiti. It appears the man is not ready to provide governance for the people of Ekiti and we are calling on him to resign honourably.
“There are many problems back home that needs his attention; workers are owed arrears of salaries, institutions are owed subventions, there are infrastructural deficit and people are groaning under a harsh economic climate. All these need urgent solutions and not junketing to Abuja for a needless showmanship, shadow boxing and grandstanding.”