‘One week, one scandal’ — Fayose mocks Buhari

Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, has accused the federal government of trying to divert the attention of Nigerians from some scandals.

Reacting to the announcement of the recovery of $85m allegedly looted from the Malabu oil deal, Fayose said “this is a trick to distract Nigerians” from Abdulrasheed Maina and Isah Misau.

While Maina, ex-chairman of Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), was reinstated into the civil service under controversial circumstances, Misau, senator representing Bauchi central, levelled some allegations against Ibrahim Idris, inspector general of police.

In a statement issued on his behalf by Lere Olayinka, his spokesman, Fayose claimed that there was a grand plan by the federal government to release some of the abducted Chibok school girls to “further distract attention”.

“Within the last one month, Nigerians have been confronted with messy revelations that gave credence to my earlier position that President Buhari is the life patron of corruption in Nigeria,” he said.

“While I await yet another scandal in what has become a government of one week, one scandal, I ask our President what has happened to the report of the committee that investigated the $43 million discovered in an apartment at Osbourne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos?”

On the loot said to be recovered, he asked: “When was this $85 million recovered? Has the money been paid into the Federation Account? Didn’t Buhari claim that Abacha did not steal a penny. They are just trying to divert the attention of Nigerians as they have always done.

“While the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government is still being confronted with the MainaGate’s global shame, the Senator representing the Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Isa Misau, yesterday, came with yet another bombshell that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, gave two Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) to the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari.

“Even though the police has said the vehicles in question were meant for the police personnel in the convoy of wife of the president, Nigerians will like to see records of such vehicles provided for the security personnel of previous first ladies. Most importantly, what happened to the promise made by the president not to operate the office of the first lady?

“Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Ibe Kachikwu’s allegation of award of $25 billion contracts without following due process against the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); Dr. Maikanti Baru.

“Reinstatement of the former Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, who was accused of corruption by the Senate, removed from office unceremoniously and declared wanted, as the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Ikoyi, Lagos.

“Appointment of Ahmed Gambo Saleh; the Supreme Court Registrar, who was indicted and put on trial for alleged over N2 billion fraud, as the Secretary of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and Secretary of the Corruption and Financial Crime Cases Trial Monitoring Committee, headship of which has now been rejected by Retired Justice Isa Ayo Salami.

“Today, the president’s claim to integrity is under serious question, with his men dancing naked in the market square and there is no hope that their nakedness can be covered any longer.”

Fayose asked what has been done on pending issues concerning the $43 million discovered in an apartment at Osbourne Towers, Ikoyi, and the N49 million cash found at the Kaduna Airport among others.

He wondered if the president was going to sweep the issues under the carpet, while saying the administration is not just corrupt but is corruption in itself.

“What has happened to the allegation of the award of $25 billion contracts without following due process made against Dr. Maikanti Baru by Dr Ibe Kachikwu?” he asked.

“Who brought the five sacks in which the EFCC claimed that it found N49 million cash to the Kaduna Airport?

“Most importantly, the President directed the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, to submit a report on the circumstances surrounding Maina’s reinstatement to his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, before the close of work on Tuesday, today is Friday, what has happened to the report?

“Is the President going to use APC broom to sweep the report on Maina’s fraudulent reinstatement under the carpet just as he did to others before it?

“One can go on and on, but the painful reality is that Buhari’s government is not only corrupt, the government itself is corruption!

“Like I have maintained, President Buhari is not fighting any corruption. He is indeed the Life Patron of Corruption in Nigeria, who is hiding under anti-corruption fight to harass his perceived political foes. However, like every affliction of the Israelites, all these too shall pass and Nigeria shall be free from this Buhari’s government and its odour of corruption in 2019.”