Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, says Jimoh Moshood, police spokesman, insulted all the state governors by calling Samuel Ortom, his Benue counterpart, “a drowning man”.
Moshood made the comment in response to the demand of Ortom that Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police, should resign.
In a statement by Lere Olayinka, Fayose’s spokesman, the governor said it was “unfortunate, regrettable and a height of irresponsibility for the PPRO to have insulted a whole governor who represents one of the federating units in Nigeria”.
Fayose demanded that the police retract the comment and tender an unreserved apology to Ortom.
He alleged that police had been hoodwinked by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and only protects the interest of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He asked the police to focus on curbing the menace of herdsmen clashes in the country.
“On behalf of PDP governors, I condemn this irresponsible act of the PPRO and demand for immediate retraction of the statement as well as unreserved apology from the inspector-general of police (IGP),” Fayose said.
“I expect the NGF to also rise in condemnation of this affront on one of its members because an injury to one is an injury to all. Besides, it is Governor Ortom that the PPRO insulted on national television today; it can be any other governor tomorrow.
“Rather than trying to gag Nigerians and acting as if it has become laws unto itself, the police should go after the killer herdsmen and their collaborators.
“It is now clear that the police has turned itself to an organ of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government, acting as if its only duty is to protect the interests of President Muhammadu Buhari and his allies.”
Fayose also condemned the police for declaring wanted, Kassim Afegbua, spokesman of Ibrahim Babangida, former military president, over a statement he issued on behalf of his principal.
Fayose described the declaration as “reckless and unlawful”.
He asked why ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo was not arrested when he wrote a similar letter to Buhari.
“On whose complaints did the police declare Afegbua wanted? Did General Babangida lodge any complaint against him?” Fayose asked.
“Was there anything in the statement released by him that Nigerians do not know before now? Is it not true that President Buhari has looked the other way while herdsmen were killing Nigerians?
“Which one should interest the police? Arresting those herdsmen and their collaborators that have killed thousands of Nigerians in Benue, Taraba, Kaduna, Plateau, Adamawa, Ogun, Ekiti and other States or rushing to declare a Nigerians who only exercised his rights to freedom of expression wanted?
“Most importantly, why didn’t the police arrest former President Olusegun Obasanjo when he released similar statement against President Buhari?
“That declaration by the police against Mr Afegbua is malicious, reckless, unlawful, unwarranted and against all democratic ethos. It should be withdrawn forthwith.”
