Petition Of Incitement, False Allegation, Threat To Public Peace And Assault Of The Constitution Against The Ekiti State Government

The Inspector General of Police,
Police Force Headquarters,
Louis Edet House,
Abuja.
Dear Sir,
PUBLIC PETITION
PETITION OF INCITEMENT, FALSE ALLEGATION, THREAT TO PUBLIC PEACE AND ASSAULT OF THE CONSTITUTION AGAINST THE EKITI STATE GOVERNMENT

The Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) as a civil society organization, wish to bring to your notice for urgent investigation and prosecution, an observed case of incitement, false allegation, blackmail, threat to public peace, malicious damage and assault of the constitution by the Ekiti State Government and House of Assembly in its allegation that the Department of State Services (DSS) invaded the Ekiti State House of Assembly and abducted four lawmakers via a press release by the Honourable Speaker Kola Oluwawole as published by the “Vanguard Newspaper of March 6th, 2016”.

Also on March 17th, 2016, as published by same “Vanguard Newspaper of March 18th, 2016”, it was alledged “At an emergency press conference in Ado Ekiti jointly addressed by Information Commissioner, Mr Lanre Ogunsuyi, the speaker of the Assembly, Hon Kola Oluwawole, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ajayi Owoseeni, Special Assistant on Communications to the governor, Lere Olayinka and Akanni’s lawyer, Mr Obafemi Adewale, the Commissioner for information said; “Information reaching us indicates that one of the abducted members of the Ekiti state House of Assembly, Hon. Afolabi Akanni has died in the custody of the Department of State Service”.

However, to debunk the allegations of his false death and put issues in proper perspective, the DSS produced only Hon. Afolabi Akanni alive, without producing the other three members alledged to have also been abducted by the agency according to the Ekiti State Government and House of Assembly.

Surprisingly, CPPM just like millions of Nigerians was shocked and bewilded when “The Punch newspaper of March 31st 2016” published the report of a news conference addressed in Ado Ekiti by the Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Kola Oluwawole, where he unveiled the trio of Honourables Musa Arogundade, Badejo Anifowose and Shina Animashaun who were alledged by the Ekiti state government and House of Assembly to have been abducted by the DSS and revealed that they actually ran into hiding in order to evade arrest. Hon. Oluwawole even went further to announce that the state House of Assembly had directed the state lawmakers to shun any invitation from the DSS due to an alledged plot to arrest and detain them.

From the foregoing, one can say without any iota of doubt that the conduct of the Ekiti State Government and House of Assembly in making false allegations of abduction of four lawmakers against the DSS when only one lawmaker was arrested and not abducted by the DSS which is a constitutionally established security institution, the false allegation of the death of Hon. Akanni in DSS custody against the reality that he never died and was indeed produced by the agency as well as the directive by the Ekiti state house of assembly to its members to shun any invitation by the DSS is reprehensible, irresponsible, barbaric, illegal, lawless, incitement, reckless, undemocratic, invitation to anarchy, malicious damage to the image of the DSS as well as an assault of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

We call on the DSS to immediately commence legal action against the Ekiti State Government and House of Assembly for malicious damage to its image and reputation by the lies, intimidation, incitement and blackmail of abduction of four lawmakers and death of Hon. Afolabi Akanni in DSS custody.

In view of the above, the Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) demands the following:

1. Immediate investigation and prosecution of this breach of the constitution.

2. Immediate arrest, interrogation and prosecution of the officials of the Ekiti State Government and House of Assembly involved in this threat to our democracy and violation of the constitution.

Sir, we eagerly look forward to your prompt response in ensuring that the perpetrators of this violation of our constitution notwithstanding their positions in public office which is supposed to embody discipline and observance of constitutional provisions are brought to book in line with your oath of office.

Thanks.
Yours Sincerely,
Nelson Ekujumi,
Executive Chairman.