By Uchechukwu Ugboaja
Loading ...Governor Fayose’s declaration for the 2019 Presidential Race was nearly marred by the arrest of his Commissioner for Finance and the state Accountant General by the EFCC. Even though this incident appeared to be too coincidental the vociferous and self styled governor of Ekiti state has insisted that the action of the anti-graft agency will not deter him from continuing with his divine mandate.
Speaking with select newsmen from his Asokoro residence Governor Ayodele Peter Fayose who described himself as the “Rock” told journalists that he is only disappointed that the EFCC again has proven not to be corruption fighting agency but an instrument of oppression.
It was reported that the two men were arrested while attending the monthly statutory FAC meeting in Abuja after the EFCC alleged that they had both refused to honour two previous invitations, this is inspite a subsisting court order restraining the EFCC from inviting any Ekiti state government official.
“If we say that the EFCC is really an agency to curb, correct or investigate corruption in Nigeria we are wasting our time because the EFCC is purely an instrument of oppression. Why the coincidence? I am declaring an ambition today and you are arresting my commissioners the same day despite court orders. We took them to court, they wrote a petition against the Judge and the matter was taken to Akure from Ekiti, later the Judge threw out their case and the the matter is still before the court.”
I don’t see why they should refuse to fight this their corruption in line with the rule of law and because Fayose is now declaring against APC led by the President then the officers of Ekiti state must be arrested. Are they just waking from their slumber? They claim that they had invited them twice against a subsisting court order, it is reckless and this is not the kind of leadership we are looking out for where in the fight against corruption there isn’t equity and fairness, you don’t use the EFCC as a tool of oppression.”
So I strongly condemn the action of the EFCC and I want to say it clearly that they are an irresponsible organisation. A responsible organisation will live above board, they would do things that people can vouch for. The EFCC is simply wasting their time because I cannot be stopped, I am unstoppable I want to be President of Nigeria and no amount of intimidation will stop me if you like arrest all the workers of Ekiti I don’t care, but what I am saying is that the fight against corruption must be backed by the rule of law. Arresting officers of Ekiti state while I was declaring for President shoes that that arrest is purely political and represents certain interests and the arrest does not represent EFCC well it does not prove to us that they are responsible organisation and it is so unfortunate that they have remained a tool in the hands of the executive,” he said.
