Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has dared the Federal Government to carry out the alleged plot of preventing him from
travelling
out of the country, saying; “under the federal system of government,
state governors are not appendages of the President and as a leading
opposition figure in Nigeria, he cannot be cowed by
President Mohammadu Buhari and his agents.”
The governor, who reacted to reports that two governors, one from
the Southwest and another from the South South have been placed on
travel restriction on President Buhari’s order, in a press
conference addressed by his Special Assistant on Public Communications
and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said; whenever he wished to travel out
Nigeria, he will do so in the full glare of the public.
He said; “I am not surprised or disappointed by this latest plot
of the Buhari’s government because the President Buhari that we know is
a man without any atom of respect for the rights of Nigerians
as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human
and Peoples’ Rights and this he demonstrated as a military dictator
and now demonstrating as a democratically elected president.”
The governor said he was however amazed that “this dangerous
dimension of compelling a sitting governor that enjoys Constitutional
Immunity like the President to obtain clearance from the Director
General of the Department of State Service (DSS) before travelling out
of Nigeria can ever be contemplated.”
He said President Buhari and his agents should be mindful of the fact that under a federal system of government, the states and
national government both enjoy some autonomy, with sovereign power
formally divided between the national government and the States such
that each State retains some degree of control over its internal
affairs.
Olayinka, who was flanked by the Chief Press Secretary to
the Governor, Mr Idowu Adelusi said; “Few days ago, when Governor
Ayodele Fayose was reliably informed that President Mohammadu Buhari
had directed that he should be banned from traveling outside Nigeria,
he simply took the information as mere rumour, concluding that
disrespect for the constitution of Nigeria and Buhari’s dictatorship
would not be extended to the most ridiculous level of preventing a
governor elected just as the president from traveling out of the
country.
“The thinking of Governor Fayose was that even though the
Buhari’s presidency was capable of even attempting to prevent those
opposed to the President from breathing the air, it must still be sane
enough to be conscious of the consequences of placing any Nigerian under
travel ban without an order of the court, not to talk of a sitting
governor that enjoys constitutional immunity like the President.
“However, when we read the story titled; “2 govs under watch,
face travel ban” published on Sunday by two major national dailies, we
have no option than to once again alert the public on President
Buhari’s new dictatorial plot to infringe on the constitutional rights
of Governor Fayose just because of his critical position on
the President’s dictatorial tendencies.
“The question is; if Governor Fayose has become a threat to
the security of Nigeria just because he criticises President Buhari
and says the truth about his mis-governance of the country, is this not
a confirmation that the President hates dissenting views?
“Section 35 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides
that; “Every person shall be entitled to his personal liberty and no
person shall be deprived of such liberty,” while Section 41 (1) provides
that “Every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely
throughout Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof, and no citizen of
Nigeria shall be expelled from Nigeria or refused entry thereto or
exit therefrom.”
“Article 13 (1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to
which Nigeria is a signatory provides that ‘Everyone has the right
to freedom of
movement and residence within the border of each State’ while Article
13 (2) provides that ‘Everyone has the right to leave any country,
including his own, and return to his country,’ ditto Article 12 (2) of
the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
“President Buhari and his agents should also be mindful of the
fact that under a federal system of government, the states and
national government both enjoy some autonomy, with sovereign power
formally divided between the national government and the States such
that each State retains some degree of control over its internal
affairs.
“Therefore, the President of Nigeria cannot lord himself over
any State governor and President Buhari and his agents should accept
this basic reality and stop behaving as if they own Nigeria in totality.
“President Buhari and his agents, especially his kinsman; Alhaji
Lawal Daura of the DSS need to purge themselves of this blood
of dictatorship running in their veins and be guided by the
Constitution of Nigeria.
“Even ordinary Nigerians do not require clearance from the DSS or
any security agency to travel outside Nigeria unless travel restriction
is placed by an order of the court, not to talk of State Governors
that enjoy immunity just like the President and are not under the
control of the President.
“The president and his agents should know that this is not 1984
when General Buhari, as a military dictator prevented late Chief
Obafemi Awolowo from travelling outside Nigeria for medical treatment,
thereby leading to his (Awolowo) untimely death in 1987!
“They should also be reminded that the same way Buhari humiliated
the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade; late Emir of Kano Alhaji
Ado Bayero and late Obi of Onitsha, Ofala Akulalia Alphonsus Ogugua
in 1984 by seizing their passports and restricting them to their
palaces just because they travelled to Israel for business, he cannot
restrict State governors from travelling outside Nigeria under whatever
guise.
“I therefore wish to state on behalf of Governor Ayodele Fayose
that as an opposition figure, he cannot be cowed by this pettiness from
the presidency. Governor Fayose, by this press conference is
daring President Buhari and his anti-democratic agents to carry out this
evil and shameful plot and let us all see how far it will take them.
“Anytime Governor Fayose wishes to travel out of Nigeria, he will
do so in the full glare of the public and we await how he will
be prevented from exercising his rights as enshrined in the
1999 Constitution (as amended) as well as the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
“We also wish to inform the President and his DSS men that as they were disgraced when
they invaded Ekiti State House of Assembly, arresting members of the
House indiscriminately, they will be put to shame this time too.
“Also, the National Assembly is being alerted of this new threat
to the Constitution of Nigeria by those who swore to protect it.
Members of the National Assembly should by now begin to imagine what
will be their fate if attempt is now being made to place travel
restriction on State Governors.
“It is our considered view that President Buhari should rather
concern himself with the growing insecurity in the country and charge
the security agencies, especially the DSS to perform their functions
as enshrined in the constitution instead of running after petty issues.
“The President should focus his attention on the economy of
Nigeria that is almost collapsing and stop using his position to oppress
other Nigerians. He should know that Nigerians are only interested in
having food on their tables, not the number of people their President
hounds into detention or oppress with his powers.”
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