Fayose’s Six Longest Days With The Ekiti 19 APC Lawmakers
By Olusina Akeredolu
The melodrama between the executive and legislative arms of the government of Ekiti state since the second coming of Governor Ayodele Fayose till the 4th of June, 2015 was not funny at all. It may sound like an entertainment to the watchers and those who are not directly affected or connected. But if you ask Governor Fayose, he will tell you that the journey from March 28, 2015 through the week of June 4, 2015 which was the terminal date of the Adewale Omirin and co’s legislative session in Ekiti state’s House of Assembly was like a million years journey. He must have had very long days and nights especially with the determination of the 19 APC lawmakers to see his exit from the government house since Buhari’s victory at the presidential poll. May 29 to June 4 particularly must be more frightening for him. Even though Fayose shows acute confidence on the surface, within him, he was worried and must have been so until the nasty cup of impeachment passed over his head. And for the 19 lawmakers, being in exile in one’s own country would be as terrible as it was.
The 19 APC lawmakers in Ekiti led by Dr. Adewale Omirin and their backers failed in their prediction of Muhammadu Buhari as far as May 29 through June 4, 2015 was concerned. They failed to see what some of us saw before hand, that Buhari cannot afford to start his new administration with involvement in the Ekiti crisis; that Buhari cannot afford to kill his own government through such a stupid decision. I say this because what led to the end of the First Republic started in the southwest with the operation ‘wetie’ crisis. The crisis that followed the 1983 general elections in Ondo state also led to the end of the Second Republic and Buhari himself played a role in the military coup that ended that republic. Besides all that, the former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and his party – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), by their civility, gave Nigeria the peace it has been enjoying since the presidential election of 28th of March. That they have strong evidence that so many young children below the age of 18 voted massively for APC in the north was enough for them to say that APC rigged the election and therefore reject it. They sacrificed their interests and surrendered the control of federal government to Buhari and the APC. Respect should be reciprocal. Buhari would not want to pay them back by forcefully taking Ekiti state from PDP especially when it is so glaring that Fayose won the June 2014 governorship election, which the Supreme Court later confirmed.
What baffles me is the fact that the 19 lawmakers could not read between the lines even after the Nigerian Supreme Court gave judgment in favor of Fayose. All technical points that they, including the E-11 wanted to raise to prevent Fayose from getting to, or remaining in power were examined one by one by the Supreme Court and were all decided in Fayose’s favor. From that point in time, they ought to be tactical in their approach to the crisis and know that the battle might have been lost and therefore settle for a truce. Neutral commentators sounded notes of warning on forums where many of the 19 APC lawmakers are members. They had opportunity to read those comments and consider them but they still could not see the contours on the road to remove the governor. I will produce just two of such comments here:
“Considering the fact that the tenure of the current legislators will come to an end on June 4, and assuming the G19 impeaches Fayose on June 4, who then becomes the Governor of Ekiti State? One of the incoming PDP legislators or is GMB going to appoint a military Administrator for Ekiti? The truth is that “Time and Season” are not just on the side of the G19. It is time for the G19 to beat a retreat. Dr. Omirin should continue on the path of peace he opted for, and I know posterity will be kind to him.” –AA.
“Mr. H, the aspect of your post that interests me is your reference to advocacy for peace because I was one of them and your comment should be treated accordingly. Mr. A made an observation and as crass as it may appear, he asked: where are the APC thugs? So if those you were close to when we were in govt can no longer muster the forces now and instead are holed up in ‘you know where’, why should the alternative now not be to sue for peace until credible people can resume the struggle when the time is right? The ability not to be able to hit back at some attacks on the 19 coupled with their seeming abandonment by the APC hierarchy in Ekiti indicate we have momentarily lost a measure of public support. We cannot claim a measure of ‘holier than thou’ for we also had our ‘heavies’ when we were in power and used them when we needed to even against this same Fayose! If those in control had done well attitude-wise, we would have at least had the opportunity to resist some of Fayose’s breaches before running to the law for succor. Mr. H, these are some of the inquisitions we should be making among ourselves rather than wasting precious ‘thread’ trying to crucify Mr. A. Sometimes out of what seems to be rubbish talk, wisdom can be extracted.” –SOA.
Modern mathematics may even find it difficult to prove that 7 could be one-third of 26 or have the strength of majority over 26. But considering all the efforts made by the Ekiti elite and APC to prevent Fayose from getting to office including filing a case at the Election Tribunal to nullify his victory after the former governor, Kayode Fayemi had conceded defeat and congratulated him, Fayose had no choice than to resort to rough tackles to be able to remain in office to serve his term. Partisan commentators have said that Fayose committed illegalities for using 7 assemblymen against 19 and for blocking roads to prevent the 19 lawmakers’ entry into Ekiti. They expected him to hold a cane in his hand to confront those who were fighting him with sledge hammers and iron rods? He couldn’t have been that stupid. Again, even if the 19 lawmakers were able to force themselves to the Assembly building to initiate impeachment proceeding, why would they want to throw Nigeria into a monumental crisis that Jonathan had prevented by conceding defeat? It would have been 50-50 between them and Fayose but they bungled that opportunity thereby making Fayose to now look like a cat with nine lives.