Special Assistant to the Ekiti State Governor on Public Communications
and New Media, Lere Olayinka has described self-professed human rights
activist and lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) as a mischievous lawyer, who is
always out to defend any position that satisfied his selfish desire,
saying; “Falana is only deceiving the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) on Governor Ayodele Fayose’s matter because of his
ambition to contest the Ekiti State Governorship election in 2018,
thinking that he can achieve what he used the EFCC to achieve against
Governor Fayose in 2006 ten years after.”
Olayinka, who reacted to Falana’s position supporting EFCC freezing of
Governor Fayose’s bank account, said it was shameful that a lawyer of
Falana’s standing could say that EFCC was empowered to freeze
Nigerians bank accounts and secure court orders later.
He said; “Even though this comment coming from Femi Falana ought to
have been ignored like we have always done because his hypocrisy has
become so legendary that he should no longer be taken seriously by
sane minds, it was shameful that Falana, a Senior Associate Nigeria
(SAN) could say that EFCC can freeze Nigerians bank accounts and
obtain a court order later even when Section 34 of the EFCC Act
provided that a court order must be obtained (ex-parte) and made
available to the bank manager before a bank account can be frozen.”
The governor’s spokesperson said further; “Court Order is a condition
precedent before a bank account can be frozen and Section 34 of the
EFCC Act is very clear on this. It is unambiguous. It presupposes that
EFCC cannot freeze the bank account of any Nigerian, no matter the
status without first obtaining a court order and making same available
to the bank manager.
“This position was also expressed by Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the
Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday when he ordered the EFCC to pay
N12.5 million damages to the son of former Governor Murtala Nyako,
Senator Abdulaziz Nyako for unlawful freezing of his account and
illegal detention.
“It is therefore strange that a SAN could tell Nigerians that EFCC can
carry out an action first and obtain court order to justify the action
later.
“If I may ask, was Falana called to the Bar before he attended Law
School and passed his Call-To-Bar Exams? Was Falana’s LLB Certificate
given to him before he got admission to the University? Was Falana’s
BL Certificate issued to him before he attended the Law School? Was
Falana’s Birth Certificate issued before he was born? Was Falana’s
Marriage Certificate issued before he got married? Has Falana ever
travelled to UK or USA and obtained Visa later? Can I, Lere Olayinka,
because I can now quote some laws begin to practice as a lawyer and go
to University to study law later?
“Obviously, opinions of lawyers like Femi Falana are better left in
the trash cans and Nigerians should begin to thank God that he was not
made Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
“It is also important to tell Falana to seek the face of the Lord for
forgiveness of his sins against Ekiti and Governor Fayose in
particular, because it appears God deliberately frustrated his bid to
be appointed Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of
Justice because of what he would have used the position for.
“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.
“Instead of hiding under human rights activism to perpetrate evil
against Ekiti and its people as he has always done, Falana should be
bold enough to declare his governorship ambition, which is not hidden
and let’s see how far he can go this time around.
“Like we have maintained, this is 2016 and 2006 that Falana and his
criminal collaborators used EFCC to remove governors, Governor Fayose
whose impeachment was later declared illegal by the Supreme Court.”