Early in the week, news broke in the media whereby allegations were raised by the members of the Ekiti state house of assembly against the DSS that it invaded the house of assembly to arrest some members who were busy performing their legislative functions and thereafter, the house addressed a press conference where they also raised another allegation against the DSS that they were offered an inducement of 1 million dollars to impeach governor Ayodele Fayose.
As expected, the Ekiti state executive council at its weekly meeting passed a resolution condemning the alledged invasion and threatening fire and brimstone against the DSS and the Presidency and have been busy with clandestine moves to blackmail, embarrass and intimidate the DSS.
Toeing the same line as though acting out its part in an orchestrated script, even without investigating the veracity of the allegations by ordering its committee to do so, the House of Representatives in its usual manner of placing the cart before the horse also joined in condemning the alledged invasion and directed the DG of DSS to appear before it to explain its alledged action which calls to question the sense of rationality of our legislators.
The DSS has become the focus of attack, assault, blackmail and abuse by enemies of democracy and our country who are still suffering from the hangover of the past era of lawlessness and impunity in which the organization was corrupted and misused and are hellbent on distracting it from carrying out its constitutional responsibility which it has been doing impartially, patriotically and professionally since the advent of the present administration. Thus, it is important to admonish the Nigerian people to be vigilant, lest they be tricked.
However, kudos must be given to the DSS, which from all intents and purposes, seems to have been restructured and reorientated by its new leadership in line with its core mandate as Nigeria’s secret police in the mould of the KGB, CIA, M15, etc with its non response publicly to all the allegations, which was a radical departure from its image and actions under the immediate past administration at the centre, which abused and misused the organization as political thugs in violation of its constitutional responsibility.
If we all recall, on 20th November 2014, the Nigeria police under the leadership of ex IGP Suleiman Abba and operatives of the DSS in a military coup fashion invaded the National Assembly with the aim of overthrowing the legitimately elected leadership of the House of Representatives, led by Honourable now governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state and this incident was well captured on video and other visual images which were incontrovertible. However, the anti democratic coupists were repelled by the vigilance of democratic elements and they had to flee with their tails in between their legs.
Thus, as the Ekiti state house of assembly and state government have raised the allegations of invasion of the house of assembly and inducement for impeachment against the DSS, may we request that answers or evidences be provided to the following pertinent questions?
- Were the Honourable members duly invited by the DSS for interrogation or not?
- Did the Honourable members comply or declined and had to be forcefully arrested?
- Can the Ekiti state house of assembly and government provide a video footage of the invasion of the house even if its from a camera phone?
- The Ekiti state house of assembly must have a CCTV security system in place, so can we have a video footage of the invasion?
- The Ekiti state house of assembly has a media department as well as a press corp, can the Nigerian public be obliged footage of the invasion from any of these sources?
- If we go by this allegation is that the Honourable members were forcefully taken away without their consent by the DSS, can we have documentary evidence of entry by force or resistance such damaged doors, upturned tables and chairs, damaged gates of the assembly complex where the alledged invasion took place?
- When this members were forcefully taken away, by what means were they transported away from the assembly complex? If it was by a car, didn’t anybody do a video recording of the car exiting the house?
- Can the registration number of the car or vehicle by which the arrested honourables were taken away by the DSS be made public?
- Can we have eyewitness account of the alledged invasion from other sources since the house of assembly is not peopled by only legislators?
- Did the alledged forceful arrest of these legislators take place in the House of assembly or at some other locations?
- Can the video recording of where and when the offer of the inducement of 1 million dollars took place and the persons involved be made public? Etc.
It is important for Nigerians to admonish the members of the Ekiti state house of assembly and the state government to provide evidence to back up their allegations of invasion of the house of assembly and inducement against the DSS, of which failure to do that, will be tantamount to undermining national security and democracy by blackmailing, embarrassing and intimidating the security agencies from performing their constitutional responsibility which is unacceptable.
In the final submission, one hereby calls on the Inspector General of Police to immediately order an investigation into the alledged invasion and inducement of 1 million dollars offered the house of assembly members to impeach governor Ayodele Fayose, because it is an assault on democracy and violations of our constitution which must be prosecuted in order to restore the integrity of our democracy that is under threat from anti democratic elements.
Thanks.
Nelson Ekujumi