Members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Nigeria, on Monday, March 14, 2016, protested to the international community including U.S., and United Kingdom to order the Department of State Services (DSS) to free four of their members it “abducted” at the assembly complex since March 4, 2016.
They said that the intervention of the international community was necessary to save democracy in Nigeria from imminent collapse.
Speaker of the House of Assembly, Kola Oluwawole, who led 18 other members including the Deputy Speaker, Segun Adewumi; and House Leader; Adetunji Akinyele, submitted a letter titled; “Re; Political Intolerance in Ekiti State,” and the resolution passed at its sitting of Wednesday, March 9, 2016 in which the lawmakers stated that they were behind the state Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, and “can never be coerced or induced to sign any impeachment notice against him.”
Carrying placards with various inscriptions; the lawmakers stated: “We want to state here categorically that no amount of intimidation, harassment and oppression will make us impeach our leader and benefactor, Governor Ayodele Fayose. The DSS should therefore know that the 2006 theory they are working on will not work this time around.” Some of the inscriptions on the placards read, “DSS harassment is about 2018, we won’t be cowed,” “DSS, this impunity must stop! This is democracy, not dictatorship,” “DSS, don’t destroy our democracy, respect rule of law,” “Fayose remains our leader, we won’t impeach him,” “Nigerians need change, not chains,” “Buhari, face economy and security, not opposition,” and “DSS, free Ekiti lawmakers; we are legislators, not criminals.” The lawmakers who spoke, Dr Samuel Omotoso, Gboyega Aribisogan and Adewumi, alleged that they were being harassed, with some of their houses being visited by men who claimed to be DSS officials. They contended that the process of abduction of the four assembly men was illegal, crude, uncivilised and barbaric because the DSS neither formally informed the Speaker nor the state governor of their intention to arrest any member of the House of Assembly or Ekiti State Government. The protest letter read in part; “The Federal Government set up an inglorious military panel to probe the level of security involvement in that peaceful Governorship Election of 21st June 2014. These were the same security agencies that had been commended for their efficiency in that election. The Federal Government is bent on scuttling the election of Governor Ayodele Fayose through diabolical
means. “After the failure of the military panel to achieve its desired objective, another plot is now being hatched. The APC led Federal Government has orchestrated a wave of arrest and intimidation of members of the House of Assembly and cabinet members of the present administration in Ekiti State. “The intention is to cripple the voice of opposition, which Governor Ayodele Fayose has become and coerce the House of Assembly to impeach the governor in the manner of the 2006 scenario which the Supreme Court has declared illegal, null and void. “In furtherance to this devilish plot, armed men of the Department of State Security invaded the House of Assembly on 4th March 2016 and
‘carted’ away four honourable members. They have been rendered incommunicado. They cannot be reached by their family members, doctors, lawyers and colleagues. As against the Constitution of Nigeria that forbids detention of anyone beyond 24 hours without court order, no charge has been preferred against them.
“The Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti, on Friday ordered the immediate release of one of the lawmakers, Hon Afolabi Akanni, but up till now, the court order has not been obeyed. “The international community is therefore being alerted of the worrisome political situation in Ekiti State. We are calling on the international community to prevail on the Federal Government to allow peace to continue to reign in Ekiti by allowing our popularly elected Governor, Ayodele Fayose, to fulfil his electioneering promises to the
people.”
