Posted by By BOLU-OLU ESHO, Ado-Ekiti with Agency reports on
Governor Segun Oni of Ekiti State has ordered the former governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, not to parade himself in the state or risk arrest. Oni made the threat in his first public reaction to the sudden appearance of Fayose in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday.
• It's an empty boast -Ex-gov's aide
Governor Segun Oni of Ekiti State has ordered the former governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, not to parade himself in the state or risk arrest. Oni made the threat in his first public reaction to the sudden appearance of Fayose in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday.
But the former Commissioner for Water Resources under the Fayose administration, Chief Segun Akinwumi, dismissed the threat as empty and caution the governor against improper use of language, as well as heating up the peaceful mood in the state.
Social and economic activities in the state capital were paralysed as a result of Fayose's surprise appearance. But vowing that the ex-governor's public appearance would be the last, Oni challenged Fayose to test the will of his government if he dared, and come out publicly again.
He described Fayose's Tuesday's outing as 'a passing out parade." The governor said that if Fayose wanted to prove his popularity, he should go ahead and reappear in the state. 'I can declare that Fayose's time is going out because if he is found here again, he will be arrested.
'And if he is found guilty, I can assure you he is a goner," he said. Oni also accused Fayose of 'renting" the crowd that cheered him through the major streets of Ado-Ekiti with the public funds he allegedly stole while in office.
Meanwhile, the whereabouts of the former governor has been unknown since Tuesday night, thereby raising tension among his supporters.
However, a source close to Fayose said that the ex-governor had travelled to Abuja to submit himself to the EFCC.
But in a reaction to Governor Oni's tirade, Chief Akinwumi said: 'The governor spoke as he should speak. He had been making similar threats since he came into office, saying Fayose would not be welcomed into the state even by a lone bird.
'But the former governor came into the state as early as 9.00a.m. and went to the police headquarters to see the Police Commissioner, where, we in his entourage were allocated a police escort comprising two truck loads of anti-riot policemen.
He later addressed rallies in five points in the city and there was nowhere he didn't spend at least one hour."
To the allegation that the welcome party was rented, Akinwumi said: 'Haba, do you rent all Iyalojas (market women) the civil servants, youths, all the Okada operators and teachers who left the classrooms? It was a spontaneous reaction, my friend. Of course, the governor would say that, because it was the practice of government to rent crowds promising them food, drinks and money. But on Tuesday, nobody drank even water, they just came to cheer their leader, Fayose, regardless of what anyone says, is the father of the state."
The former commissioner counseled Governor Oni against using inappropriate language, while playing politics. He said Fayose is presumed innocent until a competent law court finds him guilty of the said charges.
Meanwhile, the Ekiti State Police Command may arrest ex-governor Ayo Fayose whenever he visits the state again as the police accused him of breach of public peace when he visited the state on Tuesday by addressing a rally without police permit.
Speaking to Daily Sun on Wednesday, the state Police Commissioner, Yomi Onashile said the agreement his command had with Fayose was for him to come to the state without breach of public peace and that he must not hold any rally, but Fayose addressed a rally on Tuesday without getting permit from the police.
The commissioner said he wanted to arrest Fayose on Wednesday but since he could not be found, the command has file a suit against Fayose in Ado-Ekiti High Court for breach of public peace. He said that Fayose's lawyer called him to remind him that the court order which restrains any law enforcement agency from arresting him still subsists. He, however said the command is consulting its legal department to verify Fayose's lawyer's claim. He therefore said Fayose would be arrested if the order has been quashed.