Eromosele Ebhomele
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State on Friday hit at the Department of State Security, DSS, alleging that the Nigerian secret security agency and its new Director-General, Lawal Daura, have commenced a script to frustrate the states governed by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Fayose, who further condemned the alleged invasion of the Akwa Ibom State Government House by men of the DSS on Thursday, called for Daura’s sack.
At a press conference held by Lere Olayinka, the Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Governor, on behalf of his boss, the governor alleged that while states governed by the PDP were being invaded, states governed by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, were handled with kid-gloves.
“Yesterday, the Akwa Ibom State Government House in Uyo was invaded by armed men from the Special Squad of the DSS.
“They invaded the Presidential Wing of the Government House in a commando-like manner, ransacked it, intimidated and harassed the occupants, claiming that they were searching for bomb and documents!
“One wonders when the Government House of Akwa-Ibom State turned to a factory where bombs are made.
“Also, we wonder why men of the DSS were overzealously looking for bomb in Akwa Ibom State Government House,
instead of the Boko Haram-ravaged North-eastern part of Nigeria,” the governor said in his speech made available to our correspondent.
Fayose recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Austin Okojie, was picked up by men of the DSS in July. The REC was detained and later asked to report daily to their office for interrogation.
“Interestingly, the DSS under Alhaji Lawal Daura that has turned Akwa Ibom State and other states into a centre of its draconian operations has not deemed it necessary to invite for questioning the Yobe State INEC REC, Mr. Abu Zarma in whose bank account N15 million alleged to be a bribe was found.
“From the barbaric act of the DSS yesterday and other actions of security service under Alhaji Lawal Daura in the last few weeks, one can conclude that Daura is taking Nigeria back to the 1984 era of General Mohammadu Buhari and this is unfortunate.
“No doubt, the Director General (DG) DSS, Lawal Daura, is acting out a sinister script of taking over Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) controlled states in the South-south and South-east by whatever means,” part of the lengthy speech stated.
The governor said Thursday’s invasion of the Akwa Ibom Government House by men of the DSS and arrest of the State INEC REC “are part of this sinister plot by the All Progressives Congress, APC, to circumvent the will of the people of the South-south and South-east states controlled by the PDP, using the DSS, but it will fail ultimately.
“To say the least, invasion of the Akwa Ibom State Government House on Thursday ordered by Daura, is a rape of democracy and invitation to chaos and anarchy. It is authoritarian, dictatorial and I condemn it strongly.
“It is unfortunate that this is happening under President Buhari’s watch, and painful that Alhaji Lawal Daura is drawing Nigeria back to the Military era.
“If a Government House occupied by a Governor who enjoys the same immunity enjoyed by the President as provided by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria could be invaded by a Special Squad of the DSS, it means Lawal Daura is moving this country towards dictatorship and it must be said clearly that Daura and his DSS men will definitely have Nigerians to contend with.”
Fayose, who vowed to continue to speak out “because Nigeria belongs to all of us,” warned that Nigeria is not a banana republic that could be ruled by anyone.
He warned Lawal Daura and those allegedly urging him on to know that “this reign of brute force over constitutional democracy will fail. This is because we have seen them operate before and here they are
now, trying to take us back to that inglorious era of dictatorship and \barbarism where Nigerians were treated with contempt.
“This time around, it is a democracy that can never accommodate that 1984 era of draconian rule.”
View Comments (5)
Et tu Fayose...you that was installed by Jonathan at Ekiti State House through draconian actions...
DSS was doing it's constitutional duty. This is what is reported in Premium Times:
"""The State Security Service (SSS) on Thursday uncovered “arms and ammunition and “stockpiles of United States dollars” from the Akwa Ibom State Government House in Uyo, the state capital, during a surprise raid, top security sources have told PREMIUM TIMES.
The operation was jointly carried out by operatives from the SSS headquarters in Abuja and a detachment from the Akwa Ibom State Command of the Service.
The secret police was said to have stormed the Hilltop Mansion based on security reports that suggested arms and ammunition were stored in a room there.
After ransacking the entire residence of the governor, which is yet to be occupied by the serving Governor, Udom Emmanuel, the operatives moved to guest houses and the presidential lodge, said to be currently in use by ex-Governor Godswill Akpabio.
It was, however, in one of the guest houses within the expansive complex, the source said, that the stockpile of arms and ammunition were found locked up in a large room.
Apart from the arms stockpile, the source also said the operatives uncovered a guest room filled with United States dollar notes.
“It is true that our operatives carried out an operation in Akwa Ibom State Government House in Uyo yesterday,” the source said.
“During the operation which lasted for over an hour, our operatives found stockpile of arms and ammunition locked up in one of the guest houses within the Government House complex.
“We also found a room which has stacks of United States dollars, but since we had no order to take away. Our operatives left the room untouched.”
One of our sources said the operatives initially wanted to evacuate the dollar notes but received instructions from their superiors in Abuja to let the notes be.""
Man you are spot on with your views. This nation belongs to all of us. When one segment suffers like our fellow citizens in the North East, we all suffer.
I am biased - I have friends, brothers, sisters, classmates, workmates, business partners, mentors or admired personalities in every race, tribe, region or class in Nigeria - I have found the best way to satisfy all these that I truly love is to stay true to my principle of equality before the law of God and the law of the land. I remain passionately optimistic about Nigeria & Nigerians
The California governor live in the governor's mansion in Sacramento. He and all residents of Sacramento are protected by Sacramento city police. Even Barack Obama
I guarantee you, if the governor you describe does any iota of criminality he would be busted so fast that his head would spin and he would be jailed...if you in doubt ask Blayogovich on Illinois and the last Governor of Virginia