- Governor Fayose accused the federal government of anti-democratic practices
- He said Dasuki and Nnamdi Kanu should be tried in the open
- The governor suggested that the trials should be televised nation-wide
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti has lashed out at the federal government over its plan to try Nnamdi Kanu and Sambo Dasuki in secret.
In a statement via Lere Olayinka who is his media aide, Fayose said since the federal government has accused Dasuki, the former national security adviser to Goodluck Jonathan, of stealing $2.1 billion, it should also try him in the open.
He said: “If you were not afraid to call someone a thief in the market place, you should not be afraid to try such a person in the full glare of the public.”
Fayose accuses Buhari of anti-democratic practices
“Since names of the would-be prosecution witnesses have already been made public, what agenda is the federal pursuing by insisting that its witnesses be given protection by the court by not allowing their names and addresses to be made public in the course of the trial.”
The Ekiti state governor said live television should be allowed in the court proceeding of Dasuki so that he will also be able to defend himself in the full glare of the world.
“You accused someone of corruption in the market place and the person you accused is saying he wants to defend himself in the market place too, but you, the accuser is insisting that the accused must be tried in your bedroom, I think someone is trying to hide something?”
Fayose lashed out at the prosecuting counsel claiming they were being used as anti-democracy tools.
“They want Nnamdi Kanu tried secretly. They also want the former Col Dasuki (rtd) tried secretly. What are they afraid of? How is defence counsel going to cross-examine masked witnesses when their real identity cannot be ascertained? Why are the witnesses afraid to testify in an open court if truly they are witnesses of truth?
“Obviously, this is satanic. It is against all democratic norms and Nigerians must rise against it.
“Nigerians are now at the mercy of judiciary, which is the only institution that can save Nigeria from the full-blown dictatorship that the APC government has become.”
