REJOINDER
Ekiti Truth Vanguard deemed it right to respond to a write-up from a social influencer, Tanko Yusuf on what transpired during a recent meeting between a delegation of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum led by Governor Kayode Fayemi and President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja
Excerpts;
Re: How Fayemi Led Governors to Support SARS & Defame Asiwaju to Buhari by Tanko Yusuf from Suleja:
This write up was brought to our notice and we felt it expedient to logically appraise it for its veracity and accuracy based on facts, to assist the public in the debunking of fake and false information on social media. Our review of each paragraph is in bold italics. – ETV (Ekiti Truth Vanguard)
On Monday morning, October 19 after an unusually emotional weekend across Nigeria, where #ENDSARS protesters had revealed the name of those killed over the years by the rogue police unit, the city of Abuja was experiencing an uneasy calm. In the weekend before, the Vice President shocked the world when he publicly apologized to Nigerians for the errors of SARS after a week that saw their ban- announced by both the President and the IG.
Then came the enfant terrible of South West Politics. The sleazy and uncanny gap toothed Governor of Ekiti state, whose plastic smile belies his ambition to emerge a national player in 2023 by all means, led a group of Northern Governors into a clandestine meeting with the President. Having seen a potential opening, he went for the gauntlet as he seized the mantle of circumstance to manipulate President Buhari in their little over one hour private discussions about the #EndSARS movement that had rattled the establishment in the previous 10 days.
Governor Fayemi, as the NGF chairman was mandated by his colleagues to brief Mr President on the position of the Governors on Government response to #EndSARS. He was accompanied by his Deputy, Governor Tambuwal of Sokoto State. He did not lead “a group of Northern Governors” as erroneously claimed in this paragraph. Except Governor Tambuwal alone is equal to a “group”.
The plan was simple; Fayemi speaking on behalf of his colleagues, whom he claimed disagreed with their southern counterpart and with whom he clearly agreed, stated they needed the President to reinstate the dreaded Police Unit in their domain despite the nationwide protests. The President, normally taciturn, listened carefully and promised to revert. He also asked Governor Fayemi to stay behind.
No such conversation happened. All Governors agreed to implement Mr President’s directive to take charge of all tactical units of the police in their states and set up a Judicial Panel of Enquiry as well as the SARS Victims Compensation Fund. They also urged Mr President to address the protesters and reassure them of his commitment to meeting their demands. At NO TIME did the Governors request that the dreaded unit be reinstated in any state of the federation
During his elongated meeting with the President, Fayemi was said to have nailed Asiwaju Tinubu as the real sponsor of the protests that was rocking Buhari’s presidency. Using proof of Asiwaju’s son relationship with the technology and creative world who were leading minds behind the the protest, he told the President to leave sorting Tinubu to him. Which set off the black operations of Tuesday, October 20.
Blatant falsehood. At NO TIME did the meeting discuss Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu or his son.
Fayemi, whose close relationship with Nigeria’s and foreign intelligence network is well known, immediately swung into operation and found an opening in a matter of hours with a deception. First, he leaked his meeting with the President to Asiwaju through his aides, and then seemingly boxed Asiwaju into a corner on Tuesday morning that he had to reveal his sympathies for protesters publicly while calling for an end to protest. This reportedly incensed the President.
How does this make sense? Dr Fayemi “boxed Asiwaju into a corner”? How? So Asiwaju needed to know Dr Fayemi met with the President before he would make his opinion on the almost 2weeks old protests known? On his turf? So Asiwaju no longer has a mind of his own and only acts in the shadow of Dr Fayemi? The writer should credit Jagaban with more sagacity than this, please.
Secondly, his security operative network, having mobilized youths the previous night in Abuja to go around marauding on behalf of the President, in which process several lives were lost including cars burnt then proceeded to activate Lagos. This time around instead on focusing on targeting Igbos, he reportedly decided to take advantage of the gap between the curfew commencement to unleash terror on innocent protesters.
Everyone knows Governor Fayemi is a refined, intellectual and peace loving statesman. This narrative just does not align with his persona. Mobilizing youth to cause havoc in Abuja? Please how did he achieve this feat? From trying to manage a brewing crisis of protests in Ado Ekiti? Is Governor Fayemi ubiquitous? Very ridiculous tale spinning.
As a proof that Governor Fayemi had a hand in the plan, detachments of Black Ops soldiers moved into Ekiti as early as Monday night. A few of them were then sent to Lekki to carry out the hatchet job. The idea behind the Lekki shooting was to insight Lagos against Tinubu and cut off the economic power base of Tinubu’s political power. Such was the power of this narrative, that Black Ops social media handles (now mostly taken down), were the ones that promoted the initial stream of fake pictures from the Lekki protest site after the shooting. A lot of these were later debunked later on Wednesday as the state took stock.
Fact: No Black Ops detachment of soldiers in Ekiti State as we speak. Security in Ekiti has been a mix of all agencies, the army inclusive. So how did they “move from Ekiti to Lekki when they were never in Ekiti in the first place? Did they travel by road or by air?
Fact: It has been established that the detachment of soldiers who were responsible for the #LekkiShootings came from the Battalion based in Bonny Camp in Victoria Island Lagos. So how did they suddenly come in from Ekiti again.
However, it was too late. Mob action promoted by operatives in various WhatsApp forums was busy directing attacks on various institutions of Lagos state, including homes and businesses of both the Governor and Asiwaju. The mob action was very coordinated and aligned with the desire of Fayemi. Some evidence of dark money funding of the arsons on TVC and The Nation, were also obtained by our correspondent.
The writer will do the Nigerian people well to produce these “evidences” that linked Dr Fayemi in far away Ekiti State to the unfortunate and wanton destruction of a social enterprise like TVC and The Nation in Lagos as watched live by the whole nation. Curiously, it seems the writer knows who the arsonists are since he has proof of “dark money” funding to them. Relevant authorities should visit him for such a valuable lead in resolving these crimes against the Nigerian people.
As at the time we are going to Press, the Asiwaju Tinubu political family is in deep state of mourning and are now demanding explanations from the President. This is inclusive of a demand that the President address the nation, and the shooters be brought to book while arsons across the state controlled.
The NGF, the NASS and many other legitimate institutions of government have already advised the President to address the nation. One wonders the clout and influence of a vague and amorphous “Asiwaju Tinubu political Family”. If such a body exists, Dr Fayemi will be a bonafide and respected member given his long standing and cordial relationship with Asiwaju who he recognizes as a leader and political mentor.
In an emotional interview granted to Channels TV on Wednesday morning, Asiwaju Tinubu confirmed that “they accused me of sponsoring the protesters last week, and now accuse me of shooting them”. Who is this “they” is what inquiring minds like to know…..
The writer, being the omniscient entity he purports to be, should be able to enlighten the public on whom the “they” refers to. That should be a way to conclude this fairy tale concocted from a fertile mind full of malice, propaganda and delusion!
It’s disheartening that at a time when parents are mourning their children and the nation is bleeding from a loss of Iives and property, some people are focused on assassinating the character of someone who has done nothing more than serve his people and country as diligently as he can.
Why this overstretched attempt to drag Governor Fayemi into this? Who stands to gain from besmirching his name? Obviously this must be from the stable of the professional blackmail ring of unserviceable politicians struggling to gain relevance by diminishing Dr Fayemi’s influence on the national stage; an impossible feat because it is impossible to diminish God’s favour.
Fake news is proving to be as lethal as bullets so we counsel them to stop endangering lives with false narratives. The General Public is therefore advised to disregard this illogical narration of lies, deceit and propaganda.
Ekiti Truth Vanguard