Perhaps, there is something for which these two gentlemen are hiding, and for which they are willing to sacrifice the lives of their people. Whatever that is, it does not augur well for the position they occupy, the nation, and the people to whom they claim had voted for them.
The game of political brinkmanship being played by the duo of Governors Ayodele Fayose and Nyesom Wike of Ekiti and Rivers States respectively has become extremely nauseous. And must be called out. Never in the history of the country have we seen anyone in such high office push the limits this far simply for the purpose of scoring cheap political points. To compound matters, we all seem to be enjoying this theatre of the absurd, and it seems that we have all been held captive by the antics of these men, which if allowed to continue will not only worsen Nigeria’s image problem as unstable but could be more so injurious to the future of its fledgling democracy.
From the moment these two state chief executives took their oaths of office, they have been unrelenting in their indecorous display of tantrums, threats and personal insults hurled at anything and anyone that stand in their way. Quite a few of their public utterances and actions have not only been worrisome but desecrate the offices which they occupy, demean the people they represent, and show off Nigeria as yet another banana republic waiting to wither.
Of particular note and irksome is Fayose’s often irreverence for the office and person of the president and his family. Granted that as members of the opposition party, and that in politics, love and war, all is fair, there still remain lines that must never be crossed under any circumstance. And these two gentlemen have to date crossed all lines of decency and decorum, while hiding under the immunity clause in the constitution. Recently, the recklessness of these two state governors was taken to a new high. In awe, we all read media reports of how Governor Wike and his entourage disrupted the lawful operation of one of the security agencies which was assigned to investigate charges of corruption leveled against some federal judges. According to reports, his meddling was said to have almost resulted in bloodbath as his presence pitched two law enforcement agencies against each another. Lives, we are told, could have easily been lost because of the recalcitrance of a petulant governor.
An impartial analysis of the provocative situation outside the residence of the targeted judge shows that the governor had other options at his executive disposal to de-escalate the tension but choose to pour gasoline into the fire. In the melee, he was reported to have been “pushed around” by security operatives who were on a mission to arrest (not abduct) the judge based on available intelligence report. Why the governor did not douse the tension rather than confront security agents remains a matter of conjecture. Is it because, as is being alleged, he has a dog in this fight to rid Nigeria of corrupt judges?
In typical Wike-speak, he told reporters that: “Rivers State is under siege. For you to see a governor out at this time of the day, something is wrong. A siege is an understatement. If this type of thing happens next time, the people will resist it to the last,” he threatened. Give me a mammoth break! Truly, I do agree with Wike that something is obviously wrong with a picture in which an executive governor is seen to be obstructing law officers from performing their duties. Need the governor be reminded that we have all not forgotten the illegal exploits of the then gubernatorial candidate Wike during the last electioneering campaign – how he had armed soldiers and security personnel do his every bidding, sanctioned by powers-that-be at that time. Today, the shoe is on the foot and Wike is spoiling for a bloodbath. How time changes everything.
Again, we are all very painfully aware of the volatility of Rivers State politics – with its catalogue of the intra-family feud, hooliganism, cultism and the high stakes which the control of the state’s resources represent to stake holders. And you would have thought that the governor should have busied himself with the business of healing and reconciliation rather than ever resorting to appealing to the base sensibilities of his followers whenever he feels threatened.
As was expected, Fayose and his friend, Femi Fani-Kayode, both known to have cases of graft against them, took turns outdoing each other with threats heaped upon threats against the authorities. The motive of the whole plot was obvious – to make law enforcement look like villains…
To complete the political insanity of the last few weeks, Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State was reported to have “led a score of his supporters to a commercial bank in the state capital to force the release of Precious Chikwendu-Fani-Kayode, wife of Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, a former presidential campaign spokesman, from bank officials acting on the orders of the EFCC for attempting to operate a bank account that is currently under surveillance for corrupt practices.
After the release of Chikwendu who is nursing a baby, Fayose took off on his usual rant with threats directed at the EFCC: “They can’t try that nonsense in my state. If they try it, there will be a showdown. They are over-stepping their boundary.” As was expected, Fayose and his friend, Femi Fani-Kayode, both known to have cases of graft against them, took turns outdoing each other with threats heaped upon threats against the authorities. The motive of the whole plot was obvious – to make law enforcement look like villains, while Fani-Kayode’s wife (and baby) had become victims of this “horrible draconian state agency” – the EFCC. Let me reassure the duo that Nigerians, including me, are not buying it. We all know how the reputation of both precedes them – as accomplices to the Sambo Dasuki defense funds scandal now before the law courts.
foraminifera
However, if Fayose and Fani-Kayode believed that they were again going to take Nigerians for another ride, they were simply mistaken, as the EFCC spokesperson was quick to counter their allegation. We were told how Mrs. Fani-Kayode knowingly “attempted to withdraw money from an account which the agency had frozen.” And as a play on our emotions, the plan was to compromise the safety and innocence of a baby to perfect a perfidious plot to make federal authorities look bad in the court of public opinion. To me, the idea of using the baby to curry public sympathy for an accused who is standing trial in the case of the embezzlement of public funds meant to prosecute a war against insurgents, was seriously insane and a desperate act of spineless gutter snipes.
“Contrary to the spin about the purported arrest of mother and child,” the EFCC statement read, “a certain Chikwendu Sonia today attempted to withdraw money from an Access Bank account that had been placed on ‘Post No Debit’ category, following the discovery of illicit cash flows into the account.
“She was intercepted by the bank while the commission was notified, but because it was late, the EFCC advised that the suspect be taken to the police station for processing and release on bail. They were arranging to take suspect to the police station when Governor Ayo Fayose stormed the bank with thugs and his personal security and forcefully secured the release of the suspect, with claims that the EFCC had no power to detain anybody in his state. He also vowed to close down the branch of the bank.”
…Wike and Fayose don’t have to like the person of President Buhari to work with him in the interest of the nation. That is called statesmanship. The campaigns have since been over, and I believe that it is time all elected officials should have settled down to the job at hand – that of providing the dividends of governance to the people.
As you read this, Fayose has since made good his threat to shut down the operations of Access Bank in Ekiti State to appease his friend, Fani-Kayode. We have authoritatively learnt that his various bank accounts were legally frozen pending the determination of the substantive case against him. And as expected, he has since threatened law suits as part of his usual diversionary ploy ostensibly to buy time and consequently frustrate the judicial process – the same despicable game which they all play.
Like Wike, Fayose, in a post-event address of reporters, once again dared authorities and threatened social unrest if and whenever federal authorities had reason to do their legitimate duties in his state. His incessant threats and those of Wike, I believe, constitute a threat to national security and needs to be challenged. In today’s world, financial crime poses a threat to state security. And Governor Fayose of all people should know that much.
In conclusion, let me advise that Wike and Fayose don’t have to like the person of President Buhari to work with him in the interest of the nation. That is called statesmanship. The campaigns have since been over, and I believe that it is time all elected officials should have settled down to the job at hand – that of providing the dividends of governance to the people. On the contrary, these two petulant fellows have been in the news more for their political brinkmanship than for delivering the goods to their people.
Perhaps, there is something for which these two gentlemen are hiding, and for which they are willing to sacrifice the lives of their people. Whatever that is, it does not augur well for the position they occupy, the nation, and the people to whom they claim had voted for them. I rest my case.
That is my position. And I stand by it.
Charles Anyiam is Editor-In-Chief, The African Times-USA.
PremiumTimes
END
Be the first to comment