2023: Ekiti gov inciting Nigerians against APC — VON DG
The Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, has accused the Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Dr Kayode Fayemi, of inciting Nigerians against their party, rather than use his position to organise the Governors Forum to unlock democracy at the state level.
The Enugu State chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was reacting to comments made by Governor Fayemi on The Platform, a programme organised by the Covenant Christian Centre, aired live on Channels Television.
The APC foundation member like Fayemi flayed the NGF chairman for calling on those agonising about the state of affairs in the country to organise and vote out the ruling APC.
Okechukwu, while fielding questions from journalists in Abuja on Sunday, said whereas he has tremendous respect for Fayemi, his speech at the Covenant Platform on Saturday is in simplicity anti-party and an overkill.
He said, “Is it politically correct for a person of his calibre to use such worldwide audience and uncommon platform to incite people against our great party? Yes, one agreed with him that there are competing narratives and some unforced security errors were made but one expected him to use his acclaimed intellectual prowess to mobilise his fellow governors to unlock democracy at the state and local government tiers.”
Okechukwu described governors’ emperorship as the greatest paralysis to restructuring in Nigeria, contending that by omission or commission, Governor Fayemi neither protected President Buhari nor the APC in the brouhaha of restructuring.
He said, “In the market place of restructuring APC is marked Zero percent, whilst we scored more than 40% in opening the frontier of democracy with independent judiciary and legislature at the state level. That’s real restructuring.”
“Fayemi said openly that the governors are not opposed to Section 121(3), but to Executive Order 10, citing unnecessary powers conferred to the Accountant General and others. The question is why didn’t they implement the amendment for two years before Executive Order 10 of 2020?”
“Take it to the bank, independent judiciary and legislature at the state level is a major plank of real restructuring.”
Okechukwu said APC still remains the best option Nigerians, even as he expressed optimism that the country will overcome the palpable insecurity in the land.