By Toyin Anisulowo, Ado-Ekiti
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 harbor 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’ Achilles heel as well as their own howling incompetence under pretense of corruption fighting back,” the governor said.
He declared his support for the Acting president, adding that his letter was not politically motivated.
“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.” Fayose said.
He however stated that the report must be made public and not treated “in the Nigerian popular parlance 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… 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 pretense of corruption fighting back.
“ 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 harbor 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.”
