Ministerial List: Shun Falana Antagonist
President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to disregard petitions coming from Ekiti State against one of the ministerial nominees and indigene of the state, Femi Falana (SAN).
President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to disregard petitions coming from Ekiti State against one of the ministerial nominees and indigene of the state, Femi Falana (SAN).
Stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti Southwest Local Government Area of Ekiti where Falana hails from posited that it was wrong for any individual or group to oppose Falana on political ground.
In the communique issued at an emergency meeting in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, they posited that Falana was qualified for the Office of Minister based on his antecedents as an advocate of good governance and a defender of human rights.
The meeting was attended by former House of Assembly members, former local government chairmen, former party state executive committee members and all the party executives in all the wards in Ilawe Ekiti community where Falana hails from.
The communique signed by all the party leaders was read by Bunmi Akinniyi, former State Organizing Secretary of the APC.
According to the local APC chiefs, the appointment of Falana whom they described as a “completely neutral person” is the best thing that could happen to the party in the state for now as the legal luminary would be in the best position to rally all factions for success in future elections.
They said:”Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari has promised Nigerians that by September 2015, he would appoint his cabinet members.
“Consequent upon this promise, some names are said to have been forwarded to the security agencies for screening and clearance, among which was Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) from Ekiti Southwest Local Government Area, Ekiti State.
“Arising from this, a clique of mischief makers wrote petitions to blackmail Mr. Femi Falana, challenging his nomination on grounds that he is not a card-carrying member of APC in Ekiti State.
“The meeting noted that this unpatriotic action is least expected against the person of Mr. Femi Falana who is not only known as a crusader for good governance and a defender of human rights, but who, as a political leader, had used his professional knowledge and material resources to support ACN and APC in Ekiti State and particularly in Ekiti Southwest Local Government where he hails from.
“The meeting expressed appreciation to Mr. President for deeming it fit to nominate our forthright, incorruptible Femi Falana (SAN) to join other patriotic Nigerians in his cabinet to fight corruption and return Nigeria to her past glory.
“The meeting urged Mr. President, the National Leader of APC Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun as well as all members of the National Executive Committee and other patriotic party leaders to discountenance the unscrupulous petitions and weigh the efforts of Mr. Femi Falana for ACN and APC, his long years of advocacy for good governance in Nigeria and his ability to assist Mr. President in his efforts to fight corruption against frivolous excuses.
“The meeting agreed that the appointment, of a completely neutral person like Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) in the hydra-headed leadership problems of APC in the state which led to the party losing five consecutive elections is the best that could happen to the party in Ekiti State for now.
“This is because the minister, who is not in any way linked with the problems would be in the best position to rally all factions, groups or caucuses to achieve success in future elections.
“Finally, the meeting thanked and appreciated President Buhari on the previous appointments which were not based on mere APC membership card-carrying qualification but on the credibility, clean record and ability of the beneficiaries to join him in his efforts to rescue Nigeria from the rot of the past decades.”
