The Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has reacted to a comment by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) on the last Ekiti election, describing the lawyer as someone whose comments on national issues, especially the ones involving the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State are self interest induced. He said, “a lawyer of his standing should be concerned about his credibility and be consistent on issues, rather than speaking from both sides of his mouth just to satisfy his stomach.”
Falana was reported to have said that the June 21, 2014 governorship election won by Governor Fayose was fraudulent and that the governor had no immunity against criminal prosecution.
However, speaking through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said Falana should purge himself of his personal hatred for him and stop crying about over his failed attempts to govern Ekiti State, adding that; “Even in his Ilawe-Ekiti polling unit, he could not convince his own people to vote for the APC during the election. Was it because he was prevented from voting by anyone?
“It is obvious that because of the present political expedient and the demand from his stomach, which is obviously insatiable, Falana has forgotten what he said in the interview he granted The Punch newspaper, which was published on July 15, 2014.
“Therefore, since he has allowed his memory to be taking over by ‘chop-I-chop’ political hypocrisy, it is necessary to remind him that he said categorically in July 2014 that the governorship election was not rigged.
“When he was asked by Olusola Fabiyi of The Punch newspaper that; ‘do you think the Ekiti election was actually rigged?’ Falana responded thus; ‘The election in Ekiti was not rigged. I witnessed it. I spoke to people before and after the election. Fayemi gave a good concession speech.
But the APC has raised the possibility of photo-chromic ballot papers being used in favour of the PDP. I have been told by many APC members that photo-chromic ballot papers were used. I think the allegation is bunkum. Unless the party is ready to confront the reality of the election it is not going to draw the vital lessons from it. There were protest votes against the government. Instead of questioning the credibility of the election the APC should engage in a critical review of the verdict of the electorate.’
“When asked whether he was surprised with the outcome of the election, Falana said; ‘…I never knew of the decision of the vital stakeholders in the state to vote him (Fayemi) out of office. …On a critical analysis of the political situation in Ekiti State, Fayemi is a victim of the ideological crisis of his party, the APC. Of course, the arrogance of some of the governor’s aides who were allowed to wield enormous powers equally contributed to the loss of the election.’
“If in July 2014, Falana said all these and even more concerning the election, one begins to wonder why it has always been easy for him to make a 360 degree u-turn on national issues and one can say without mincing words that his comments can only be dictated by the stomach infrastructure he is either benefiting from or hoping to benefit from.”
The governor said it was shameful that Falana has failed to realise that his credibility was already in tatters because of his hypocritical stance on political issues, adding that “lawyers, especially those that have risen to the level of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) should not be seen as speaking only when their personal or political interests are involved. They should be consistent.
“For instance, over ten Ekiti indigenes were murdered during the APC government of Dr Kayode Fayemi, Falana kept silent. He also kept silent when the future of Ekiti State was being mortgaged to frivolous loans and deductions from workers salary were not being remitted. It also made no meaning to Falana that democratically elected local government chairmen and councillors were sacked and council election was not conducted throughout the four years of APC government in Ekiti State.
“It is therefore important that Falana be told in clear Yoruba language that; ‘Falana gbo ti e’ (Falana face your own business) and he should look for elsewhere to satisfy his personal political interests because Ekiti will never fall into the hands of hypocrites like him.”
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