Fayose, Falana trade words over Abuja N1bn property

The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has criticised human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), over the allegation by the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), linking the lawyer to a N1bn property on Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja.

Fayose said it was embarrassing, shameful, disgraceful that a man of Falana’s standing, reputed to be a human rights activist, friend of the masses, crusader of justice and defender of democracy, could be linked to such a scandal.

The embattled former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, had accused Falana of buying the building which was one of the properties he helped to seize from suspected pension thieves and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Malami had while testifying before the National Assembly last week, echoed the allegation, saying the property was sold to a ‘Lagos lawyer.’

Reacting in a statement on Monday, Fayose said it was sad and shameful that Falana could be “cited in such an odious, obscene, and offensive conduct.”

He said it was not surprising that Falana had taken it upon himself to always defend the EFCC, even when the anti-graft agency acted lawlessly, since the lawyer was allegedly benefitting from the EFCC.

Fayose said, “Linking Falana to illegally-acquired properties seized by the EFCC is bad enough but the facts provided by Malami make the case against Falana even worse. This must be the real reason why Falana always fall head over heels in defence of the EFCC and Magu, not minding the vicious violations of the constitutionally-guaranteed rights, freedoms, and liberties of citizens.

“What we have always suspected has now been confirmed publicly and by no less a person as the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

“Falana’s alleged unprincipled and disgusting defence of the EFCC and Magu’s penchant for disrespect of the rule of law and due process is for selfish reasons and personal gain.”

Fayose said the Federal Government must investigate Falana and not allow the matter be swept under the carpet.

But reacting to the call for his probe by Fayose, Falana, in a telephone interview with one of Punch Online, lambasted the governor for failing to pay attention to his earlier explanation on his connection with the property.

He challenged Fayose and the AGF to approach the court to seek a forfeiture order on the N1bn property if they were sure it was proceeds of crime.

Falana said, “I stand by my earlier defence that I never bought the house from the EFCC and I challenge him (Fayose) and the Attorney General to show the evidence. I challenge the garrulous Governor of Ekiti State to prove the monstrous allegation that I bought a house from the EFCC.

He added, “Since Mr. Ayo Fayose has not paid attention to the fact and circumstances of the case, I advise him to study my explanation that the house in question is a subject matter of a pending suit before the Federal High Court and that the house has been forfeited to AMCON in the interim.

“The EFCC is not a party to the case. So, if Mr. Ayo Fayose wants to join the suit, he’s free, he is at liberty to approach the Federal High Court holding at Abuja to prove his allegation. But his is a case of Ajegbodo to nweni kun ’ra. (The one recklessly eating fresh yam will always want to co-opt others into the deal.) .

“As of today, he has already forfeited six houses to the government of Nigeria. So, if he is sure that that this is proceeds of crime, he should apply to have it forfeited. He should contact the Attorney General, Mr. Malami, to apply to have the house forfeited, if they are sure that the house is proceeds of crime.”

Falana said the governor had been looking for a way to attack him “since I pressured the state to charge Mr. Fayose and his armed goons with the cold-blooded murder of Dr. Ayo Daramola and Tunde Omojola.”

-Punch

Continue Reading

Falana To Fayose: You Can’t Seek Re-Election

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) has told Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State to forget their idea of seeking re-election next year, describing it as tenure elongation.

Falana said Fayose’s new dream was an anomalous and amounted to tenure elongation. ‎Fayose had Monday said that he would contest the 2018 governorship election ‎so that he could serve his first term which was truncated in 2006.

The governor was impeached in 2006, but the Supreme Court in 2014 nullified the impeachment that ousted him from the office about seven months to the end of his first term.

Speaking on a live broadcast on Ekiti State Television in Ado-Ekiti on Monday evening, Fayose said that since the apex court had said that his impeachment in 2006 was illegal, he would then have to approach the same court to interpret what that ruling meant and also consider seeking a re-election in 2018.

‎But Falana said on Tuesday that Fayose’s bid to seek re-election would amount to tenure elongated which no court could grant, PUNCH reports.

He said, “Tenure extension by a governor under any disguise is anomalous. No court can prolong the tenure of a sitting governor buying the two terms prescribed by the Constitution.

“In the case of Gov Rasheed Ladoja v INEC the appellant wanted an extension of his term of office to allow him to spend extra 11 months while he was fighting his impeachment from outside.

“Although the Supreme Court had set aside his impeachment it was held that the relief was illegal and unconstitutional.

“Similarly, the governors who were re-elected after their initial election was annulled, the Supreme Court made it abundantly clear that tenure extension was unknown to the Constitution. In view of the settled position of the law on the matter, Governor Ayo Fayose cannot be granted by any court in Nigeria.”

Continue Reading

Police can’t stop 2face rally –Fayose, Adegboruwa

The Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of the Governors’ Forum of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has knocked the Federal Government and the Nigeria Police for planning to stop a protest for good governance by a musician, Mr. Innocent Idibia, a.k.a. 2 Face.

Also, a Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has said nothing, including the police, can stop the planned peaceful rally being organised by the musician.

The rally, which 2face planned to lead in the Lagos metropolis next Monday, is to protest against the current economic hardship being faced by the masses.

2face had since last month began the campaign, urging Nigerians to keep a date with him as he took to Lagos streets to protest against the manner the government was handling the economy.

Earlier in the week, the musician, in a video posted on his Facebook page, explained the idea behind the rally and the need for Nigerians to join him in the peaceful protest.

But in a statement on Thursday, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, said the police would not allow the rally to hold, because it could easily be hijacked by miscreants.

“We know that 2face does not have the capacity to contain such a crowd and we will not fold our hands and watch while things go out of hand,” Owoseni said.

But Fayose said that the police’s stand was a ploy to stop a legitimate civil act.

In a press statement issued by the Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka, in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, the governor said, “Leadership is about accountability. To be accountable, leaders must listen to public opinion either by civil and peaceful protest.

“The court of appeal’s judgment in the ANPP vs IGP allows for such protest or gathering without police permit or interference as in advanced democracies. The protest is said to be for and about good governance. So, who is afraid of the protest? Who do the police represent in this issue?

“Nigerians are hungry and angry, our currency is above N500 to a US dollar.

“Nepotism, extrajudicial killings, disobedience to court order and human right abuse must stop. The conscience is an open wound and the guilty is afraid.”

Adegboruwa, who had earlier said he would join the 2face rally, also said the police did not have any legal backing to stop the protest and urged the police CP to study his copy of the Nigerian constitution before coming out to make such a statement.

Adegboruwa said Owoseni’s statement was an attempt to intimidate Nigerians who wish to partake in the rally, adding that it could never deter “we, veterans, and indeed the deprived, oppressed and hungry people of Nigeria.”

The lawyer said, “For the information of the police commissioner, Nigeria is a democratic country governed strictly in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

“Section 39 of the constitution grants freedom of expression, including the right to be heard and to disseminate information and ideas.

“Section 40 grants the right to associate and gather together. Section 38 grants the right to freedom of movement and peaceful assembly.

“I believe that Mr. Fatai Owoseni has a copy of the constitution, to guide his actions and utterances on this matter, instead of threatening innocent and law-abiding citizens, who are responsible for his salary.

“The issue of police permit for citizens to gather freely, expired with the coming into force of the 1999 Constitution and we cannot now go back to the military era of shutting up citizens from legitimate expressions.”

Vowing that the rally could not be stopped, Adegboruwa urged “the good people of Nigeria, especially those who reside in Lagos, to join us en mass at Ikeja, for the rally on February 6, 2017.

“We cannot be intimidated in our own country, by the same people who are paid to protect us.

-Punch

Continue Reading

Buhari can dress like herdsman to present 2017 budget – Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has waved aside reactions over his dress code while presenting the state’s 2017 budget yesterday. Fayose had stirred controversy when he showed up at the Ekiti State Assembly in military camouflages to present the 2017 appropriation bill.

However, speaking through his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Lere Olayinka, he maintained that his performance and achievement, and not his attire should be considered.

Olayinka, who spoke via his Twitter handle, @olayinkalere, strongly defended his employer, and told all those complaining to have their heads examined.

“If your concern is what a man wears to the office and not how well he performs his duties in the office, I doubt if your head is correct!

“No wonder you supported a Buhari, who left office in 1985 and did not gain any academic, travel, business or even reading experience as president and Nigeria is now in depression.

“If Buhari likes, let him dress like FULANI HERDSMEN to the National Assembly to present 2017 Budget. Wetin be my own? All I’m interested in is for the Budget to translate to better living conditions for Nigerians.

“When you are told that you are acting STUPID, and your response is that someone also acted STUPID last year.

“Your case file is waiting for you at YABA LEFT and ARO in Abeokuta”, he declared.

Continue Reading

Release of Chibok girls diversionary, improve people’s welfare – Fayose tells FG

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has faulted the celebration by the federal government over the release of 21 Chibok girl‎s by the armed Boko Haram group, saying that such is not only diversionary, but that it can not take away the fact that Nigerians are suffering and they are yearning for relief.

He, therefore, called on Nigerians to engage in serious prayers for God to ameliorate their sufferings.
He said this in Iyin-Ekiti, Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state on Thursday while inaugurating a block of four classrooms built for the Erelu Angela Adebayo Children’s Home by his wife, Feyisetan.

“What they came out today to tell Nigerians that 21 abducted Chibok girls have been released by the Boko Haram group is diversionary. Nigerians have never had it so bad. People are very hungry. What they did today is just to divert attention from what they did last week by clamping judges and justices into detention. While no one is saying corruption should be condoned, but the due process must be followed.

“The Peoples Democratic Party-led Federal Government that they labelled as inept, did better than this. The exchange rate of the naira to the dollar is unacceptable. The situation has led to hyper-inflation where what people used to buy for N30,000 can not be bought with N100,000‎. Look at the elections that have been conducted since they came to office, all the gains recorded by the previous government as far as democracy is concerned are being eroded,” he said.

Fayose, who urged the opposition in the state to see Ekiti as everybody’s project, opined that after election has been won and lost, the ideal thing should be to work together for the progress of the state.

The governor commended his wife for building on what her predecessor in office did instead of starting her own pet project.

“As you have done this, don’t worry, others will come to recognise you too and what is important is that we work for posterity to judge us. This is already on records and generations coming after us will know we made our impact while leading this state,” he said.

The governor donated the sum of N250,000 to buy clothing materials for the children of the home.
He also gave another N250,000 to buy food items for them, just as he gave automatic employment to a lady helping to take care of the children.

In her speech, Mrs Feyisetan Fayose, said it was an uncommon divine opportunity to be in charge of the state at this point in time. She thanked the governor and others for supporting the project financially and otherwise.

Continue Reading