Fayose chides police for calling Benue Governor a “drowning man”

* I expect my colleagues to act… police spokesman has insulted
all governors

Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, says Jimoh
Moshood, police spokesman, insulted all the state governors by
calling Samuel Ortom, his Benue counterpart, “a drowning
man”.

Moshood made the comment in response to the demand of Ortom that
Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police, should resign.

In a statement by Lere Olayinka, Fayose’s spokesman, the
governor said it was “unfortunate, regrettable and a height of
irresponsibility for the PPRO to have insulted a whole governor who
represents one of the federating units in Nigeria”.

Fayose demanded that the police retract the comment and tender
an unreserved apology to Ortom.

He alleged that police had been hoodwinked by the All
Progressives Congress (APC) and only protects the interest of
President Muhammadu Buhari.

He asked the police to focus on curbing the menace of herdsmen
clashes in the country.

“On behalf of PDP governors, I condemn this irresponsible act of
the PPRO and demand for immediate retraction of the statement as
well as unreserved apology from the inspector-general of police
(IGP),” Fayose said.

“I expect the NGF to also rise in condemnation of this affront
on one of its members because an injury to one is an injury to all.
Besides, it is Governor Ortom that the PPRO insulted on national
television today; it can be any other governor tomorrow.

“Rather than trying to gag Nigerians and acting as if it has
become laws unto itself, the police should go after the killer
herdsmen and their collaborators.

“It is now clear that the police has turned itself to an organ
of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government, acting as if its
only duty is to protect the interests of President Muhammadu Buhari
and his allies.”

Fayose also condemned the police for declaring wanted,
Kassim Afegbua, spokesman of Ibrahim Babangida, former military
president, over a statement he issued on behalf of his
principal.

Fayose described the declaration as “reckless and unlawful”.

He asked why ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo was not arrested
when he wrote a similar letter to Buhari.

“On whose complaints did the police declare Afegbua wanted? Did
General Babangida lodge any complaint against him?” Fayose
asked.

“Was there anything in the statement released by him that
Nigerians do not know before now? Is it not true that President
Buhari has looked the other way while herdsmen were killing
Nigerians?

“Which one should interest the police? Arresting those herdsmen
and their collaborators that have killed thousands of Nigerians in
Benue, Taraba, Kaduna, Plateau, Adamawa, Ogun, Ekiti and other
States or rushing to declare a Nigerians who only exercised his
rights to freedom of expression wanted?

“Most importantly, why didn’t the police arrest former President
Olusegun Obasanjo when he released similar statement against
President Buhari?

“That declaration by the police against Mr Afegbua is malicious,
reckless, unlawful, unwarranted and against all democratic ethos.
It should be withdrawn forthwith.”

* I expect my colleagues to act… police spokesman has insulted
all governors

Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, says Jimoh
Moshood, police spokesman, insulted all the state governors by
calling Samuel Ortom, his Benue counterpart, “a drowning
man”.

Moshood made the comment in response to the demand of Ortom that
Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police, should resign.

In a statement by Lere Olayinka, Fayose’s spokesman, the
governor said it was “unfortunate, regrettable and a height of
irresponsibility for the PPRO to have insulted a whole governor who
represents one of the federating units in Nigeria”.

Fayose demanded that the police retract the comment and tender
an unreserved apology to Ortom.

He alleged that police had been hoodwinked by the All
Progressives Congress (APC) and only protects the interest of
President Muhammadu Buhari.

He asked the police to focus on curbing the menace of herdsmen
clashes in the country.

“On behalf of PDP governors, I condemn this irresponsible act of
the PPRO and demand for immediate retraction of the statement as
well as unreserved apology from the inspector-general of police
(IGP),” Fayose said.

“I expect the NGF to also rise in condemnation of this affront
on one of its members because an injury to one is an injury to all.
Besides, it is Governor Ortom that the PPRO insulted on national
television today; it can be any other governor tomorrow.

“Rather than trying to gag Nigerians and acting as if it has
become laws unto itself, the police should go after the killer
herdsmen and their collaborators.

“It is now clear that the police has turned itself to an organ
of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government, acting as if its
only duty is to protect the interests of President Muhammadu Buhari
and his allies.”

Fayose also condemned the police for declaring wanted,
Kassim Afegbua, spokesman of Ibrahim Babangida, former military
president, over a statement he issued on behalf of his
principal.

Fayose described the declaration as “reckless and unlawful”.

He asked why ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo was not arrested
when he wrote a similar letter to Buhari.

“On whose complaints did the police declare Afegbua wanted? Did
General Babangida lodge any complaint against him?” Fayose
asked.

“Was there anything in the statement released by him that
Nigerians do not know before now? Is it not true that President
Buhari has looked the other way while herdsmen were killing
Nigerians?

“Which one should interest the police? Arresting those herdsmen
and their collaborators that have killed thousands of Nigerians in
Benue, Taraba, Kaduna, Plateau, Adamawa, Ogun, Ekiti and other
States or rushing to declare a Nigerians who only exercised his
rights to freedom of expression wanted?

“Most importantly, why didn’t the police arrest former President
Olusegun Obasanjo when he released similar statement against
President Buhari?

“That declaration by the police against Mr Afegbua is malicious,
reckless, unlawful, unwarranted and against all democratic ethos.
It should be withdrawn forthwith.”