Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has described attempt by the Federal Government to secretly to try the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, by using mask-wearing prosecution witnesses as mockery of democracy, saying Nigerians must force President Mohammadu Buhari to purge himself of the blood and water of dictatorship flowing in his veins.
In a release issuedon Saturdayby his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said “it is shameful that the Federal Government could approach the court for witnesses in a criminal matter it is prosecuting to wear mask and be seen through screen.”
He said even the prosecuting counsel, who filed the application should be ashamed of themselves for making themselves available to be used as tools to subvert democracy.
“They want Kanu tried secretly. They also want the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) tried secretly. What are they afraid of?
How can the Federal Government ask the court to allow ‘ojuju calabar’ (masquerade) as prosecution witnesses when we are not under military rule?
“How would such witnesses be cross-examined by defence lawyers and can their real identity be ascertained?
“Should anyone make allegations that he cannot be bold enough to defend in the law court? Why are the witnesses afraid to testify in an open court if truly they are witnesses of truth?
“Clearly, this is mockery of democracy and the rule of law and Nigerians should know that it is their duty to purge President Buhari of dictatorship,” Governor Fayose said.
While hailing the judiciary for once again rising in the defence of democracy by saying no to the anti-democratic plot of using masquerade as witnesses, Governor Fayose said; “As it is now, only the judiciary can save Nigeria from the full-blown dictatorship that this Buhari-led APC government has become.
“Interestingly, they are not even sparing the bench from their regime of blackmail and dictatorship, and it has become necessary for our men of the bench to continue to stand firm against enemies of democracy and rule of law.”