DSS’ activities will make Buhari govt unpopular, says Fayose

•Ekiti elders warn politicians against violence
Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has criticised the Department of Security Services (DSS) over the arrest of some public officials and lawmakers in the state, saying that the activities of the security agency could make President Muhammadu Buhari’s government unpopular in Nigeria.

Fayose, who described the DSS as an “instrument of oppression” at the weekend, said the agency had taken on “wrong customer” with its alleged role in intimidating him to stop criticising what he called “bad policies of the Federal Government.”

He, however, warned that any attempt to force him out of office would spell doom for the Buhari-led Federal Government.Fayose, who boasted that he would be a hard nut to crack for President Buhari, lamented how the DSS had allegedly usurped the
statutory roles of the Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC), just because of desperation and attempt to get at him at all costs.

Fayose, in his official reaction to the Federal High Court judgement delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo in Ado Ekiti on Friday, ordering the DSS to release a detained lawmaker, Hon Afolabi Akanni with immediate effect, urged Nigerians to rise up to challenge the excesses of the security agency.

Aside Akanni, the Finance Commissioner, Mr. Toyin Ojo, was arrested and had since been released after interrogation.The governor, who rapped President Buhari for allegedly aiding the Lawal Daura-led DSS to act beyond its constitutional powers, said there is no quantum of intimidation and harassment that could dissuade him from speaking on national policies that could affect the corporate existence of Nigeria.

He said: “Beyond this judgement , I have always said that the DSS are taking on more than their brief. They have become an instrument of oppression. They are now taking up the job of the Police, the EFCC and all other security agencies.
“You would recall that they were at the Akwa Ibom Government House to harass the governor. They came to Ekiti too, to do
the same thing.

But this Ekiti, they are taking on a wrong customer.“May be they think this will make me to stop criticising the bad policies of the APC Buhari-led government, no. Let me make it very clear to them that majority would have their way, minority would have
their say.

“Ours is to continue to help democracy to grow and to help the average man get dividends of democracy by keeping the government in power on its toes. Harassing me would make their government unpopular, I have said that before, and attempting to take me on would bring down their government.

”I’m entitled to my opinion, how would DSS be investigating the finances of a state, that is taking it too far, how would DSS detain somebody without a court order, and detaining him for one, two weeks.

Anybody who is supporting this act, one day it would be his turn, it is Ekiti today. I urge all Nigerians to rise up and oppose this act of oppression; this country belongs to all of us.

“It is time to stop this harassment, taking away the right of humanity, taking away the right of Nigerians, anything that would take away our rights should be confronted headlong and be stopped. When they finish with politicians, they would take on lawyers and even the journalists”, he said.

Meanwhile, some senior citizens of the state, under the agies of Ekiti State Council of Elders yesterday warned politicians against causing public unrest with the pervasive bad blood existing among politicians of various parties in the state.

A statement signed by its Chairman, Prof. Joseph Oluwasanmi, and Chairman, for Ekiti State Creation, Chief Deji Fasuan, appealed to politicians not to substitute civilized dialogue with violence, as witnessed during the old Western Region.

Apparently referring  to the tension in Ekiti over DSS alleged invasion of the House of Assembly and arrests of some state
officials, the elders said: ”The country as a whole has much problem with the economy dipping virtually every day. The fall of naira and ascendancy of dollar are major concerns for policy makers.

“Certainly, we have our  own share of this ongoing  national debacle.It is advisable that we don’t create more problems for ourselves,” they warned.