Gov. Fayose
The
governor of Ekiti state has asked the Acting President to release the
probe panel report on the suspended duo of Babachir Lawal and
director-general of the National Intelligence Agency.
Ekiti State Governor and Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
Governors Forum, Mr Ayodele Fayose has written to the Acting President,
Prof Yemi Osinbajo, demanding the immediate release of the report of the
investigative panel on corruption allegations against the suspended
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr David Babachir
Lawal and Director-General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr. Ayo
Oke.
In the letter dated July 11, 2017 and received at the Acting
President’s office on July 13, 2017, the governor also demanded that the
Acting President must “act expeditiously on the report”, threatening to approach the law court to compel the Acting President to release and act on the report if he fails to do so.
Special Assistant to the governor on Public Communications and New
Media, Lere Olayinka said in a statement issued on Sunday that Governor
Fayose told the Acting President “never to habour the view that the matter can swept under the carpet,” saying
the government’s war against corruption lacked credibility and had,
thus floundered because of the government perceived penchant for
sweeping allegations of corruption against top functionaries of the
federal government and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress
(APC).
“I dare to say that this is one of the reasons the so-called
war against corruption has not attracted public support. It lacks
credibility and has, thus floundered. It is also the reason your
administration has lost case after case in the court of law, even though
administration officials have tried to cover government’s Achilles heel
as well as their own howling incompetence under the pretence of
corruption fighting back,” the governor said.
The latter read; “Let me begin by appreciating Your
Excellency’s yeoman efforts directed at quelling fires all over the
country and stabilizing the polity. Daunting as this task might seem,
especially as agent provocateurs for selfish and diabolical interests
continue to stoke the fire and fan the embers of discord and disunity
rather than queue behind you, assist your noble efforts, and let all
hands be on the deck to salvage our beloved country, take solace and
receive renewed strength, vigour and vitality in the fact that your
efforts have begun to yield positive fruits and that the vast majority
of the citizens appreciate and applaud your efforts and stand resolutely
with you. As I have often said, the power of the people is greater than
the power of those of us in power. In our own little corner, we, too,
stand with you. And this being so, you can only succeed, and not fail!
Therefore, every support and every advice that Your Excellency requires
to succeed we promise we will not hide away from you, partisan politics
notwithstanding.
“In this wise, permit me, Your Excellency, to prod your memory
about a Presidential committee constituted months ago by President
Muhammadu Buhari to investigate allegations of high corruption against
two top officials of this administration, namely the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation, Mr. David Babachir Lawal; and the
Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mr. Ayo Oke. The
Presidential committee, headed by your good self, was given two weeks to
submit its report. That was many months ago. The two top officials
concerned were placed on suspension but nothing has been heard on the
matter ever since. It would appear the matter has been swept under the
carpet or, in the Nigerian popular parlance, has been treated as the
“family affair” of the ruling APC government.
“It will be most unfortunate indeed if this, truly, is the
case. For one, the appropriate response to the very serious issue of
corruption against the suspended SGF and the NIA DG should not have been
the setting up of a committee to investigate; rather, both men should
have been handed over the two men to the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) for investigation and arraignment in a court of
competent jurisdiction. Your Excellency will agree with me that this has
always been this government’s recourse when alleged corruption cases
involve members of the opposition PDP; estranged members of the ruling
party.
In fact, PDP members and non-members of the ruling APC alleged to
be corrupt, such as judges, are first harassed, haunted, hounded,
arrested and locked up, tried and convicted in the media and visited
with public lynching while the Department of State Service (DSS) and the
EFCC take their time to search for or conjure evidence against them.
“The preferential treatment given to the two top-notch members
of your government is bad enough – and they are the only members of the
ruling party that have got this slap-on-the-wrist treatment. So reckless
and audacious had your government become in this regard that a serving
Senator who is a member of your party said on the floor of the Senate
that your government uses insecticides when dealing with alleged cases
of corruption involving members of the opposition but applies deodorant
when members of the ruling party are involved. I dare to say that this
is one of the reasons the so-called war against corruption has not
attracted public support. It lacks credibility and has, thus floundered.
It is also the reason your administration has lost case after case in
the court of law, even though administration officials have tried to
cover government’s Achilles heel as well as their own howling
incompetence under the pretence of corruption fighting back.
“Were President Buhari to be around, this issue would not have
been any of your bother. All that would have been required of you would
be to turn in your report within the stipulated time and the ball would
then have been squarely in the president’s court. Fortunately and
unfortunately, President Buhari has been away on medical tourism for
most part of this year and as the Acting President, the buck now stops
on your desk.
'Your Excellency, Nigerians demand two actions from you: First
is that you release the report of the corruption investigation, which
you presided over. Secondly is that you act expeditiously on the report.
May I advise, Your Excellency, that you should never habour the view
that this matter can swept under the carpet for two reasons. One is that
Nigerians are not unmindful of the outcome of your investigation even
if it has not been officially released. Two is that should you fail to
release the report and act on it, I shall approach the law court to
compel you to do so.
“Your Excellency, as a Law professor and Senior Advocate of
Nigeria, Your Excellency must not be associated with illegalities and
cover-ups; not to talk of your highly exalted position as a man of God
who must speak truth at all times and uphold the Biblical admonition to
let justice flow like the mighty river. I have refused to agree with
those who, on account of your egregious stance on the EFCC boss, Ibrahim
Magu’s continued but illegal stay in office; posit that the hood does
not make the monk and a chain of titles and degrees does not translate
to sound judgment. Kindly take up the challenge to prove those doubting
Thomases wrong.
“Your Excellency, because our dear country, Nigeria, is the
concern of all of its 170 million citizens as well as for the benefit of
our friends the world over, permit me to make copies of this letter
available to the media and other interested persons and organisations
locally and internationally.”
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