Change Nigeria Movement (CNM), a socio-political group, has condemned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for placing Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, on security watch-list.
The anti-graft agency had written a letter to the Nigeria Customs Service, asking it to be on the lookout for Fayose.
But CNM described the commission’s action as an open display of partisanship, wondering why Kemi Adeosun, former minister of finance, was allowed to leave the country after resigning.
Adeosun had resigned her appointment following report that her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) exemption certificate was forged.
In a statement on Monday, Abubakar Usman, the group’s spokesman, gave Ibrahim Magu, chairman of EFCC, and Hamid Alli, comptroller-general of custom, hours to withdraw the memo that placed Fayose on security watch-list.
“Our position is that Governor Ayo Fayose is still a sitting Governor who enjoy immunity from arrest and prosecution as prescribed in section 308 (i) of 1999 constitution as amended, so, we wonder if the EFCC, Customs, Immigration Services, Police and other security agencies would say the offence(s) of the governor is or are to warrant his arrest at airport, seaport or land boarder as pettily stated in their memo that was apparently leaked to the press to embarrass the governor unknown to them that they are embarrassing the sovereignty of Nigeria before the international community and also creating bad precedent for generation yet unborn,” the statement read.
“Also, just like other well-meaning Nigerians, we are embarrassed that the Ibrahim Magu led EFCC could not differentiate between the constitutional functions of the Nigerian Customs and that of the Nigerian Immigration Services, so, we are forced to ask from Mr. Ibrahim Magu if it is the function of the Customs to checkmate the movement of goods in and outside the shores of Nigeria or the movement of people in or outside the nation of Nigeria.
“We say very expressly that this is not about Fayose, the governor should face the full wrath of the law if he has stolen the commonwealth of his people; this is about safeguarding our law; an injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere. We call on the Nigerian Governors Forum to speak against this tyranny; it is Fayose today, it may be another person tomorrow. Thus, we consider the actions of EFCC and NCS as a declaration of war against the constitution and sovereignty of Nigeria.
“We wish to ask what the EFCC, Nigerian Police, Nigerian Immigration Service and Nigeria Customs Service were looking at when Mrs Kemi Adeosun who confessed to have forged her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) exemption certificate left the country to prevent arrest and prosecution that could land her a 14-year jail term?. Was Adesoun allowed to leave Nigeria because she’s a member of the ruling APC and was Fayose placed on security watch-list because he’s a member of the opposition PDP?”
