By; OLADELE ADEDAYO, Ado-Ekiti.
Ekiti lawmakers in the State House of Assembly on Wednesday protested against freezing of Governor Ayodele Fayose’s account domiciled in Zenith Bank by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The lawmakers occupied major highway leading to Ado-Ekiti, the state capital in a sit out protest.
The Assembly members said that the decision to stage the protest was to debunk the rumour that they have escaped the country to Ghana and Dubai to prevent arrest.
The lawmakers said they embarked on the action to show that they are resolute and determined to support the embattled Governor.
Addressing newsmen at the sit out venue, the speaker, Kola Oluwawole said that there were plans to arrest 10 members of the Legislature on trump up charges of not having certificates.
The speaker said, “we embarked on this sit out because we are duly elected by Ekiti people. We want to tell the whole world that we are determined and resolute to support Fayose.
”No amount of Blackmail will make us do dirty job. We are calling on the APC-led government to leave Fayose alone. The frozen of his account is condemnable.
”We aware of plans to arrest 10 members of Ekiti Assembly. We are ready for arrest. We stand by Fayose, enough is enough. Let there be peace in Ekiti. Let Abuja leave Ekiti alone”.
Some of the placards displayed by the lawmakers read: “APC, Falana, Ojudu using EFCC against Fayose because of 2018 Guber ambition”. “We are ready for arrest”. “We cant be intimidated”. “Ekiti State Assembly is not for sale”. “Leave Fayose alone”. “Ekiti House of Assembly cant be bought”. “On Fayose we stand”.
Fielding questions from reporters, some members of the state Assembly said that the APC-led Federal Government is bent on truncating democracy in Ekiti.
The Assembly’s Chairman, House Committee on Health, Hon. Samuel Omotosho said that the APC-led Federal Government has not allowed the state legislators to do their work in line with the provision of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
While the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Gboyega Aribisongan, said “we are warning Babafemi Ojudu, Femi Falana to desist from their plans to create emergency rule in Ekiti”.