Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, has condemned Thursday’s alleged invasion of the Akwa Ibom State Government House by armed men of the Department of State Services (DSS), calling for the immediate sack of the Director General of the agency, Alhaji Lawal Daura.
Addressing a press conference in Ado-Ekiti on behalf of the governor today, Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka described the alleged invasion as part of the 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 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), using the DSS.
He said; “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.”
Governor Fayose, who recalled the arrest of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Austin Okojie by men of the DSS in July, wondered why “the DSS under Alhaji Lawal Daura that has turned Akwa Ibom State and other States into 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.”
Text of the press conference read in part; “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-liked 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.
“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 Nigeriaback to the 1984 era of General Muhammadu 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.
“Obviously, Thursday 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.
“If a Government House occupied by a Governor who enjoys the same immunity enjoys 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.
“As for me, I will continue to talk because Nigeria belongs to all of us. Nigeria is not a banana republic that can be ruled anyhow by anyone and Mr Lawal Daura and those urging him on should 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.
“Most importantly, Lawal Daura and his desperate men should know that here in Nigeria of today, the power of the people is greater than the power of those in power and the people will always rise in defence of their government no matter how strong the aggression.
“It is on this note that I call on President Buhari to call Alhaji Lawal Daura to order. He should be made to know that his activities since he assumed office as the DG DSS are of growing concern to Nigerians and that he is becoming extremely controversial.
“His actions as the DG DSS are regrettable, unfortunate, condemnable and unacceptable because he has come to symbolise dictatorship, which democracy abhors.
“Alhaji Lawal Daura should know that he is holding the office of DG DSS that he presently occupies in trust for all Nigerians and such office is not one that can be turned into instrument of political witch-hunt.
“If Alhaji Daura continues with his use of the DSS to harass, intimidate and assault the constitution of Nigeria, President Buhari may have to show to Nigerians that he is not a party to the use of the security agency to witch-hunt his political opponents by sacking the DG DSS.”
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