APC calls for Fayose’s arrest, prosecution for allegedly leading a band of thugs to beat up a Judge

Posted by admin Ekiti, Governors, Headlines, Judiciary, State News Saturday, September 27th, 2014

The All Progressives Congress has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Ekiti State Governor-elect Ayodele Fayose for allegedly leading a band of thugs to beat up a Judge and then instigating his supporters to attack and burn down the opposition secretariat in the state.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party said since Fayose did not yet enjoy any immunity from arrest and prosecution, he should immediately be arrested.

According to the party, every time a judge had been attacked anywhere in the world, the attackers have been jailed to serve as a deterrent to others who may want to take the laws into their hands.

The APC said it was necessary to act fast to prevent anarchists and crude individuals from taking the laws into their hands and tampering with the administration of justice, because the attack on Justice John Adeyeye came a few days after pro-Fayose and pro-PDP thugs invaded a court room in the state.

“Even though Mr. Fayose has not assumed office, he has succeeded in taking Ekiti State back to Egypt within a few months of his ‘election’. Not only are Judges being attacked, the kind of killings and chaos that characterised his first time in charge of the state have already started. He is struggling hard to ensure that Ekiti is no longer in the league of states where disputes are settled in courts, instead of on the streets, and judges preside in the administration of justice,” the statement read in part.

APC said while Ekiti State Police Commissioner Taiwo Lakanu did well to restore order after the judge had been beaten up, the overall role of the police in the two attacks was shameful.

“According to published reports which have yet to be refuted, police personnel stood by while litigants, lawyers and other citizens were being mauled by rabid PDP thugs in the first attack, and again seemed powerless as Justice Adeyeye was being manhandled and his suit torn until the Police Commissioner arrived at the scene. If this is not an act of collusion, then it is a case of unacceptable gross incompetence for which those security agents must be brought to book,” the party said.

“If the police are no longer willing and able to carry out their constitutional duties of protecting the lives and property of the citizenry, then anarchy looms,” the party warned.

It said Nigerians must brace for a hellish time in the hands of the PDP from now on till next year’s general elections, considering that the party’s thugs are also alleged to have killed several people in Lagos recently after a PDP rally attended by President Jonathan.

“How can elections be free, fair and transparent in a lawless society? How can elections be credible when policemen are taking sides with the ruling party? How can elections be violence-free when candidates being put forward by the ruling party are ready to engage in jungle justice? We can only call on the international community to maintain a keen interest in events in Nigeria in the days and weeks ahead,” the party said.

-Punch

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