The Ekiti State lawmaker, Hon. Afolabi Akanni, who was recently released from detention by the Directorate of State Services (DSS) after the invasion and arrest of some lawmakers at the Assembly Complex in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, arrived in the state Thursday and was greeted with fanfare by a mammoth crowd.
Akanni, who promised that his incarceration would further reinforce his loyalty to Governor Ayodele Fayose, described the governor as a reliable leader, adding that his arrest was not only forceful but also illegal.
The lawmaker representing Efon Constituency was arrested on March 4 by DSS and had since been detained in Abuja until he was released on Tuesday after spending 18 days in custody.
A drama had recently played out when it was rumoured that he had died in detention.
The DSS had debunked his alleged death by bringing him on air and explained that he was detained based on some security breaches he allegedly committed.
Another arrested state official and ex-special assistant on revenue to the Governor, Mr Ropo Ogunjobi, was also in the state with Fayose.
Fayose, who came in company of the two ex-detainees aboard a chopper at about 3.38pm landed at Christ’s School playing ground in the state capital, where they were welcomed by a mammoth crowd, comprising members of the House of Assembly led by the speaker, Hon Kola Oluwawole.
Akanni gave knocks to the DSS for his detention, saying: “What manner of democracy are we practising? How can DSS invade a House of Assembly and arrest a lawmaker with intention to impeach a governor? They even came without a warrant of arrest. Is this democracy?
“Is it an offence to be loyal or honest to a governor? Fayose is our leader and I can’t betray him. Ekiti people must stand behind him. Mr governor, I am assuring you that I will always stand by you”, he assured.
Also, Ogunjobi revealed that the DSS during interrogation accused him of laundering N22 billion being amount paid on federal roads to Ekiti by the federal government into Fayose’s accounts, which he described as a blatant lie.
“They even said I helped Fayose to launder another N1.3 billion out of the N2.5 billion ecological fund released to the state. I said all these were lies. I can’t lie against Mr Governor”.
Fayose regretted how past military dictators were endangering Nigerian democracy, urging Nigerians not to vote them into any sensitive position again in order to preserve Nigerian democratic values.
He said: “Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Olusegun Obasanjo are not democrats. They have no respect for the Constitution and the rule of law. But no matter what they do, we won’t succumb to intimidation.
-Vanguard