Why they want to scuttle my presidential ambition —Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Chief Ayodele Fayose, has said the imminent defeat of President Muhammadu Buhari in a free and fair election in 2019 is the major reason the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government is harassing and intimidating his aides and associates.He also said the blunt truth he told Nigerians during his declaration of interest that Buhari and the APC had nothing good to offer Nigeria has pierced the conscience of APC leaders and given them wounded heart.

He, however, said he won’t be intimidated into abandoning a divine project of rescuing the country from maladministration.

Fayose, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, on Friday, said notwithstanding needless harassment, whoever thought he could stop a moving train with bare hands would have himself to blame in the end.

The governor described the arrest of two officials of the state by agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as the height of impunity, as a competent court of jurisdiction had ordered against such action.

The governor said the action of the EFCC was in flagrant disobedience to the orders of Justice Taiwo. O. Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti in the case of the Attorney General of Ekiti State versus EFCC, IGP and 16 others granted on November 7, 2016.

The order reads in part: ” an order of interim injunction restraining the 1st and 2nd defendants (which is the EFCC and the Inspector General of Police, their agents, privies or any other investigative agencies, howsoever described) from arresting, detaining or investigating any person or persons, whether past or present officials in the Ekiti State Government, without any report of indictment from the Ekiti State House of Assembly pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice filed in this suit.”

While contending that the order of the court had not been vacated or appealed by the agency, the governor added that the agency’s action showed desperation and political partisanship, as it had earlier petitioned against Justice Taiwo asking that the case be transferred to Akure, Ondo State.

“The new judge declined jurisdiction because he held that the EFCC’s case lacked merit and the case file was returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, who is yet to assign the case.

“The latest action by the EFCC is therefore premeditated, malicious, politically motivated, contemptuous and unconstitutional in all ramifications. It is another clear and undisguised evidence of gangsterism by an agency that derives its power from the constitution but uses it for political vendetta against the opposition.

“While we call on all men and women of conscience to call the EFCC and whoever is goading them along perilous path to order, we must warn that no harm must come the way of the illegally detained Ekiti State Government officials, who have health issues which they will be hampered to manage effectively in EFCC’s crushing detention environment.

“Not obeying court orders is not the hallmark of democracy, but a virtue of anti-democratic agents. Colonel Dasuki Sambo, former National Security Adviser is still being held despite numerous court orders to the contrary. Ibrahim el-Zakyzaky has been locked up unduly for months, this is not the democracy we fought to enthrone in Nigeria,” he said.

The governor stressed that it was not a coincidence that those officials were arrested while he was declaring his intention to contest the presidential election, but noted that such gimmicks would not deter him from pursuing his ambition.

“My ambition to contest the presidential election in 2019 is God’s project and no human effort can thwart it. Democracy allows for people to aspire to occupy public offices and I have not breached any law doing that. Those who think they can get to me by harassing my aides and supporters would soon hit a dead end,” he noted.