It was drama, yesterday, when 26 members of Ekiti State House of Assembly staged a street protest against what they alleged as deliberate intimidation, oppression and harassment of the state government by agents of the Federal Government.

The lawmakers sat on Okesa Street, close to the old governor’s office in the Ado Ekiti for hours to express their displeasure. They carried bags containing personal effects and dared the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest them. They said: “It is illegal and an act of intimidation and harassment for the Federal Government and the EFCC to freeze the personal accounts of Governor Ayodele Fayose.”

The lawmakers displayed placards with inscriptions such as: “We are ready for arrest, We can’t be intimidated, Ekiti Assembly not for sale, Leave Fayose alone, This blackmail, harassment of Fayose is about 2018 election, Ekiti House can’t be bought, On Fayose we stand.”

Speaker Kola Oluwawole called on the Federal Government and the EFCC to leave Fayose alone and stop the harassment.

He added that freezing of the governor’s accounts was illegal. He said members of the House were ready to go to jail: “Come and arrest us, we are here in Ekiti now. No amount of intimidation, harassment, arrest will push us to do any dirty job. We have had enough of intimidation. We are ready for the arrest. Let there be peace in Ekiti State. Let Abuja people leave Ekiti alone, nothing will shake us from supporting Fayose on this matter.”

Chairman of the House Committee on Media, Gbenga Aribisogun, warned “Ekiti people in Abuja” and alleged they are “causing problems for the state.”

He urged them “to desist from it,” saying the assembly would not play into their hands this time around.

The lawmakers also said they were going to Abuja for the protest.

Fayose had since filed a suit at a Federal High Court in the state to challenge EFCC’s action.

Two days ago, the EFCC arrested Fayose’s close aide, Mr. Abiodun Agbele, over allegations of receiving huge public funds from former Minister, Musiliu Obanikoro and former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) and delivered same to the governor. Agbele is currently being detained at the Lagos office of the anti-graft commission.

•Text courtesy of Daily Sun. Photo shows Governor Fayose.

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