Fayemi: Even as governor, I have been a victim of police attack

Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti, says he has been a victim of police attack, in spite of his position.

The governor said this on Wednesday during a virtual event hosted by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies.

The meeting was organised to discuss Nigeria’s security challenges.

He said it is erroneous to believe that governors have unlimited power.

Fayemi said there are issues that are beyond the powers of governors despite being the chief executive of their states.

“No matter how powerful you are as a governor, there are issues that you do not have control over because this is an over-centralised state as I mentioned earlier,” he said.

“The governor may direct his police commissioner but the inspector general of police (IGP) may tell the police commissioner not to respond to that order.

“I have been governor for some time and I have been a victim of police attack even as governor. So people should not make any exaggeration about the powers of governors.”

The governor also denied that the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors have not taken the issue of restructuring seriously.

He said: “I can tell you categorically, take APC governors, for example, we have in our manifesto the whole issue of restructuring. We set up a committee that worked on restructuring. The committee produced the report — that report was given to the national assembly to work on.

“Have they done it? That is an area where the legislative institute can work with the national assembly to effect change if they see it as something that could relate with the general view of the ordinary Nigerians, not just the view of the political party.”

Fayemi said the governors should not be blamed for not carrying out the implementation.