By E.S Eshiorameh
Who is squeezing Fani-Kayode’s balls? The last time the former aviation minister was in the news for the wrong reason was when he verbally assulted a Daily Trust journalist in Calabar, Cross River State, during his self-assigned vulturous adventure across some states in the country last year.
After ceaseless furious, vociferous and venomous attacks on the person and character of President Muhammadu Buhari, what could have changed FFK overnight? He is not a man of honour. Those who have worked closely with FFK know him as a man who has never been loyal to anyone but his pocket and stomach. His former principal, former President Obasanjo once described Fani-Kayode in few words: “Femi Fani-Kayode is my boy. Provide him food, he will eat and then sing for you. He is a smart boy”.
Indications are that Femi Fani-Kayode might be heading to jail as his money laundering case with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) has been wrapped up.
All EFCC witnesses against him in his case in Abuja are reported to have given the commission the desired cooperation to nail FFK. He is also facing a heavier and different criminal prosecution in Lagos court.
EFCC is prosecuting Fani-Kayode on a five-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N26million.
He is also standing trial before Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court Lagos, alongside Nenadi Usman, former minister of Finance, Yusuf Danjuma, former Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and a company, Joint Trust Dimensions Ltd (belonging to Danjuma) are facing a 17-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N4.6billion.
Here lies the untold story about Fani-Kayode’s bridge building mission, new song of peace and freedom and his romance with the ruling party.
If what is alleged in the public about FFK looking for soft landing in an attempt to evade justice is anything to go by, then it therefore confirms the fact that the powerful will continue to use the instruments of the state to perfect injustice and parvade crime.
This will give credence to the crass disregard for people and institutions in the country in such a way that defines the character of the Nigerian society.
Already, DG of the Progressive Governors Forum Salihu Moh Lukman has kicked against the meeting by some members of his party with Fani-Kayode, saying that admitting him into APC is rewarding scandalous behaviour.
Lukman had averred thus:”for our leaders to associate themselves with Mr Fani-Kayode, is simply rewarding scandalous behaviour. Mr Fani-Kayode has fabricated stories, distorted, insulted and damaged information about our party and our leaders”.
The likes of FFK should not only be retired but flushed out of public space for people with the right shape of mind and acumen to lead the country out of its current state. Fani-Kayode is not only a distraction but also a baggage and burden to country.
Admitting a man who has no political value into the APC is not an issue as it is within his rights to associate or within the party’s discretion to accommodate him, but giving him a soft landing on financial crime will not only raise more questions about President Buhari’s anti corruption war that most Nigerians currently frawn at.
The trial of Fani-Kayode has cost the country so much in the last decades and the current administration can not afford to make muckery of an institution like EFCC, that has put all its resources together to block all intended avenue Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has exploited to evade justice. For once again, the EFCC deserves to add to its archives a high profile case and this would be to President Buhari’s credit.
Fani-Kayode was recently seen posed for a photograph that went viral on the social media with Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, when he visited the Lugard House. Days after, he was also seen posed for photograph with Governor Bello and the APC Interim National Chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State after a meeting with them in Abuja. This was the least expected of a man who has consistently demonized virtually everything about President Buhari’s APC.
The controversial meeting had stirred up wide criticisms, particularly among his army of followers in the South East, many of whom have come to see him as a strong voice for the secessionist group (IPOB) in the region. Also was APC faithful who did not waste time to call on the leadership of the party to shut its door against politicians like FFK who will add no value to it.
Fani-Kayode had after the meeting claimed to have paid Bello a visit to activate moves for bridge building that could put to an end the current ethno-political disquiet and distrust in the country. This is quite commendable. But contrary to his claims, it was and it is still widely speculated that he was on consultation tour to defect to the ruling APC.
While FFK has effortlessly tried to explain why he visited the national chairman of an opposition political party and a governor like him too, till now, his inability to clarify speculations about his intented cross-carpeting to the APC has further given credence to the rumour.
However, Governor Bello on Wednesday put to rest the speculation when he confirmed that FFK has decided to join the APC.
For any patriotic Nigerian, this ( ‘healing process’) was expected of Fani-Kayode and his ilks who have bequeated nothing to the country but ethnic bitterness through devisive manipulation on-and-off the social media space. It is the right thing at the right time, though coming from the wrong man. In what better ways Fani-Kayode would have serve the country than cleaning some of the mess he has caused with his own mouth?
It is good that this is coming at a time like this when the country has been placed on the edge by characters like FFK, who fed Igbo youths with toxic lies, incited secession and now left to continue with the bitterness he has implanted in them.
But how did a Fani-Kayode who is known to be a war monger turn a peace facilitator overnight?
When Fani-Kayode was valifying President Buhari in some of his writings and many outbursts, many of us who know him somewhat as a recalcitrant and a fare weather fellow were not moved. We knew he would not last long in the imaginary world he was hibernating. We knew all along that he is an unstable character, unstable as water, who stands for nothing and will do anything to stay afloat.
We also knew it was his usual character like a peacock undulating its feathers to make a hit and cast a spell on some peahens around. Of course, the charm worked for him and it drew a good number of social media army from the South East to his side.
We knew all along that it was a detour to reach out to a prospective benefactors, perhaps another set of victims of his warned-out hoax.
Who among his social media followers would have thought that months and just weeks ago after FFK vilified President Buhari, called him all sort of names, described him as one who had come to steal, kill, and even expand his religion and ethnic dominance in the country and also extended his incendiary statement to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and even threatened war after joining a section of the media provide the platform for Igboho with the oxygen to propagate a sinister agenda that almost set the South West against the North recently, would turned around to seek comfort in a home he had once called caliphate of vampires?
Fani-Kayode, like others, must not be let off the hook.
