Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, has condemned the alleged attack on the home of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and his supporters in Afara-Ukwu, Umuahia, Abia State on Sunday, by military men.
Fayose who expressed concern that the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government is becoming authoritarian and intolerable of dissenting voices, said the FG ought to have waited until its demand in court that Kanu’s bail be revoked is determined before taking any action.
He stated this in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, while fielding questions from newsmen.
“The invasion is condemnable and the present government is becoming authoritarian. It is proving not to be a peaceful one. The government is also operating double standards. They went to court to revoke his ball and they can’t be patient enough for the court to decide on the matter.
“We need dialogue. People have to ask the FG what the Igbo people have done to deserve all this. Even if they have done anything wrong, they should be forgiven. The matter we have on hand is beyond Kanu,” he stated.
On the defence by the military that IPOB members blocked their right of way and were the first to attack them, the governor noted that that was the same excuse they gave when they attacked Ibrahim el-Zakyzaky in Zaria, Kaduna State, during which hundreds of people were killed.
“Up until now, the man has been in detention and the defence by the military in Kanu’s case is similar and we would not be fooled again. They are also flying a kite that they are clamping down on hate speech, the question is what constitutes hate speech?”, he asked.
“This is nothing but another plot to descend on whoever they perceive as the opposition. As for me, nobody can cage me. The threat of imprisonment or death can not gag me. Their attempt at muzzling the opposition will fail. For me, I will continue to be the voice of the opposition,” he said.
The governor also urged Nigerians to rise up to the occasion of defending democracy and put the FG to the task of allowing democracy to thrive and be sustained in the country.
