By Jude Nudukwe
A statement issued recently by one Taiwo Olatunbosun, the Ekiti
State Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), labeling the
governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, a threat to national security because of
the governor’s statements and posture to the leadership style of the Buhari-led
federal government is not only ridiculous and hypocritical, it is risible and
shocking. It goes a long way to further prove the well known fact that this
government is not only intolerant of dissenting views, it would do all and
anything to quell them even if it means applying “extreme measures” against
vocal individuals and institutions of the opposition.
*Fayose |
In a democracy where the Akwa Ibom
State government house
was invaded by security agents with much bravado and recalcitrance, claiming to
have found a cache of arms and stockpiles of dollars there without any evidence
to show for it till tomorrow, is the real threat to democracy and our nation.
A situation where Mr Kayode
Are, former Director-General of the DSS, and his family, were forcefully and
violently evicted by men of the DSS under the leadership of Lawal Daura despite
a subsisting court order to the contrary, is the real threat to our democracy
and national interest.
A country where court orders are flagrantly disobeyed and bails granted by
competent courts of our land are denied the beneficiaries contrary to the rule
of law and the norm in a democracy just because the president and his security
agents wish so, is the real threat to our society. Fayose is not.
A situation where judges
and justices of even the Supreme Court are freely and blatantly insulted,
intimidated, harassed, embarrassed, wrongly accused just because they decide to
uphold the tenets of truth and justice irrespective of even if the ruling
party’s ox is gored, is what is the threat to our nation. Fayose is not.
A situation where the much
mouthed anti-corruption war is waged only against members of the opposition
party, perceived political enemies and vocal activists, while those who belong
in the ruling party are rewarded with exalted appointments, is what is
threatening our democracy and nation.
Since May 29, 2015,
elections conducted have had their results continuously and deliberately
declared inconclusive as a strategy of attempting to manipulate the process to
favour the APC and their candidates. This is what is threatening our national
security. The excessive militarization of the processes and its attendant
violence orchestrated by self-empowered state actors from Aso Rock as were the
cases in Kogi, Bayelsa and Rivers
States , are the real
threats to our nationhood.
When harmless men stage peaceful protests in other democratic climes, the worst
that could be used against them for the purpose of dispersing them is water cannon,
or rubber bullets in extreme situations, but in Nigeria and under President
Buhari, the military embark on the sickening rambunctious but unenviable
revelry of murdering defenceless protesters as were the cases with IPOB members
in Aba and Onitsha recently!
The same fate befell the
Shiite Muslims who had hundreds of their members who are also citizens of the Federal Republic and whose rights especially to
life were guaranteed and protected by our constitution cut down in a carefree
shooting spree. About four months after that incident, the leader of the
Shiites who was humiliatingly wheeled away in a pool of his own blood, is still
being held by security agents and like many others, denied access to his family
and or associates. If he has done anything wrong against the state, he is yet
to be charged, and even if he is charged and the courts grant him bail even
with stringent conditions, the most likely thing to happen is that he would
still not be released should he meet his bail conditions. It is a norm with
this government. Ask Nnamdi Kanu, ask Sambo Dasuki, ask others!
These, coupled with the
speedily deteriorating state of the socio-economic fabric of the nation that
has led to the worst power situation and fuel crisis, inflation etc we have
experienced in decades, are what have given rise to the equally worsening
security situation in our country today.
Governor Fayose is only
being courageous to say what every Nigerian knows but is afraid to say. Just
like Okonkwo said in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”, we cannot continue to
reason like cowards. “If a man comes into my hut and defecates on the floor,
what do I do? Do I shut my eyes? No! …These people are daily pouring filth over
us, and Okeke says we should pretend not to see”.
You invaded the hallowed
chambers of the Ekiti State House of Assembly and indiscriminately arrested
some of the members, keeping one of them incommunicado for eighteen good days
despite the action being against the constitution and a court order to the
contrary, only for the security agents to release Hon Afolabi Akanni after
having become so ill he could die in their custody. Yet, the APC want Fayose to
keep quiet about these injustice and many others because we have a man who must
not be talked to as president? What nonsense!
Let me remind Taiwo
Olatunbosun and his co-travellers that contrary to their belief, Fayose is not
alone in this struggle against dictatorship which Nigeria has slid into under the
leadership of Buhari. A majority of Nigerians deeply appreciate the role Fayose
is playing and align themselves with him. They see him as their new-found hero.
They see him as one of the very few men who are courageous enough to demystify
President Buhari and his administration’s dictatorial tendencies.
Fayose has become the
beacon of light in a nation caught and overwhelmed by the preponderance of
sudden darkness. He and Chief Femi Fani-Kayode have always warned that nothing
good could come out of an APC administration. At that time, some Nigerians saw
these two men as rabble-rousers, but less than a year into the life of this
administration, the two men are now seen as heroes, every of their predictions
about Buhari’s syle of leadership coming to pass, regrettably.
Fayose is not the threat to
our nation. Those who are threats to our nation are those who rode to power on
the flapless wings of sophistry and are maintaining that power even with more
sophisticated mendacity mixed with brute force. Those are the ones who are a
threat to our nation, and they are the ‘change’ agents parading themselves as
‘chain’ agents that they truly are.
If the APC does not retrace
its steps of hounding opposing figures, their weakness would soon graduate to
wickedness, and like every dictator, their end is not only imminent but also
greatly unpleasant. They must learn to engage citizens fruitfully and
constructively. They should focus on governance and bother less about those who
are serving them the same dose of opposition they served the Jonathan
administration.
People like Fayose can
never be a threat to governance; they can only be a threat to dictatorship!
jrndukwe@yahoo.co.uk;
No comments:
Post a Comment