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Coup allegation: Wide condemnation trails Fani-Kayode as DSS continues probe Wednesday

Femi Fani-Kayode

By Tom Okpe

Wide condemnations are still trailing Femi Fani Kayode, following his allegations that Atiku Abubakar was holding meetings with some generals in the Army, with some calling for the former minister to be firmly disciplined to serve as a deterrent for others, who may want to plunge the country into chaos with spurious but risky claims.

In the meantime, Femi Fani Kayode, the Director of Special Projects and News Media of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, (PCC) has said he won’t tweet this same way, a second time, in respect of the alleged coup plot by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and military top officers.

Fani-Kayode said while addressing journalists after he was grilled for five hours by the Department of State Services, (DSS) in Abuja on Monday.

The secret police had invited the former Minister of Aviation, interrogating him for allegedly saying that some Military Generals were meeting with Atiku the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) to hatch a coup plot.

While recounting his ordeal in the hands of the DSS, the APC chieftain said he was thoroughly questioned, but handled professionally without toture and asked to return on Wednesday for further investigations.

Fani-Kayode who said the experience he had in the hands of the DSS operatives, was the one he wouldn’t wish his enemy.

“I spent about five hours. I was subjected to thorough grilling; they were very thorough and highly professional in their interrogation.

“I was asked to go and return on Wednesday for further interrogation. The place anybody wouldn’t want to go, I think is the DSS. If I were to do it a second time, I won’t tweet this same way.”

The APC campaign spokesperson while taunting some of his opponents who he refused to name said: “My inclination as a responsible, decent, civilised person, and a patriotic Nigerian is to respond by going, unlike others who were invited and refused to go.

“We know who those people are. I believe if you have nothing to hide, you go. As long as you have confidence in the system, and I have absolute confidence in the system. I have absolute confidence in the fact that the DSS is impartial.”

Reacting to a statement by Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communications, Frank Shaibu, calling on the DSS not to leave any stone unturned in the course of investigation, Kayode said it was “a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying absolutely nothing,” quoting William’s Shakespeare.

“I would suggest that they focus on the real issues, on their candidate or whatever they believe their candidate has to offer. They do not control the security of this country. They are not in charge and it’s not for them to dictate anything.

“If anybody should be investigated, arrested, prosecuted and jailed, it should be their presidential candidate. Why? Because he confessed in a tape, which we all heard about how he defrauded the whole country and stole public funds through SPVs. We’ve discussed this before.”

Also, speaking during the press conference, Director Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga said, the council and the party was monitoring the situation to take appropriate action.

“We were worried when we heard that FFK was invited by the DSS. So we contacted our lawyers, and we followed him to the DSS headquarters, who were professional in their dealings.”

…Femi Fani-Kayode appears before DSS probe panel today

The Department of State Services (DSS)said Tuesday that interrogation of former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode over his allegations of coup plotting continues.

The security agency said in statement by it’s Public Relations Officer,Peter Afunanya, Ph.D, that it is necessary to inform the public that it invited Chief Femi Fani-Kayode to its National Headquarters, Abuja, on 13th February, 2023.

The invitation was in respect of an investigation of some of his allegations and insinuations relating to issues relevant to National Security.

Chief Fani-Kayode faced a Panel which interviewed him on the subject matter. Afterwards, the Service granted him administrative bail and directed that he makes routine returns to the Office with effect from Wednesday, 15th February, 2023 till otherwise. The investigation, however, continues.

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Meanwhile, political parties and their media managers are advised to apply restraint in their utterances and public communication engagements prior to and after the general elections. This is to avoid heating up the polity and evoking tendencies that could lead to violent reactions as well as undermine peace and order.

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Ihesiulo Grace

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