The Oyo State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has frowned on the intimidation and harassment of the officials of the Oyo State government by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the spending of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde’s security votes.
The students’ body, which embarked on a protest at the Commission’s office in Ibadan, warned the agency to leave Governor Makinde alone and “allow him to do his job,” noting that it was totally against the arrest and detention of the state’s Accountant-General, Mr. Gafar Bello, by the EFCC.
According to the students’ union, which passed a vote of confidence in Governor Makinde’s administration for running a transparent government, called on the EFCC to end its illegality against the state government or face the full wrath of the students.
Chairman of NANS, Oyo State chapter, Comrade Adeleke Abidemi AKA Asiwaju, said though NANS had always been a partner-in-progress with the EFCC, the Commission must desist from illegally arresting and harassing South-West people, as the zone has not in any way offended the agency.
He said: “We are here today to warn the EFCC. We have been working hand-in-hand with them for a very long period of time. But today, we are going totally against them as this is just a warning. They need to stop the illegal arrest of our people in the South-West, because the zone has not done anything bad to them. So, we are here to say enough is enough.
“We want them to leave our Governor alone, because he is doing well. He is not corrupt and they should leave him to continue to do what he has embarked upon.”
Similarly, former president of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), Benedict Olalere, wondered why the EFCC is moving against only Governor Makinde as if he was the only governor spending security votes.
Olalere, who warned the EFCC not to play politics with its job, said the agency goofed by arresting the Oyo State Accountant-General.
“I always like to stand for nothing but the truth. I don’t compromise and you cannot buy me. I remember that during the issue of Twitter ban by the Federal Government, I was the only one who stood by the FG because of my conviction. I believe Nigeria is a sovereign country Twitter needs to respect. But now, the FG has goofed. EFCC has goofed and it has spoiled his name and integrity.
“We so much trusted them before but they have now become political tools in the hands of politicians. Election is fast approaching and we have seen a move and nobody is talking about it, but we Nigerian students in the South-West have taken it upon ourselves as a cause and a cross. We will not allow anybody to nail our leaders again; to destroy the image of the South-West again.
“Why is it that in the North, you saw a governor pocket billions of Naira and EFCC did not go after such a person? The video even went viral then. But now, a governor who is performing well in Oyo State, the EFCC went ahead to arrest the Accountant-General of the state unconstitutionally, though they have released him.
“We are here to let them know that if they continue in this mess, we will come out with #EndEFCC in Nigeria. The protest is going to be more coordinated than #EndSARS and they won’t be able to stand it.
“So, we have come to pass our vote of confidence in Makinde, that he is not a corrupt governor, and to let the EFCC know that it should stop the illegality in South-West and Oyo State.”
