Appointment: Ignore Femi Falana's Antagonists - Buhari Urged

In a communiqué on Tuesday, September 22, by the All Progressives Congress stakeholders in Ekiti state, the party frowned at what was termed unscrupulous petition targeted at weighing down the appointment of Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria.

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Femi Falana

The statement which was signed by all the party leaders in Ekiti Southwest local government area where Falana hails from urged President Muhammadu Buhari to disregard petitions coming from the state against Falana, one of the ministerial nominees, Daily Independent reports.

The stakeholders said that the appointment of the legal luminary is the best thing that could happen to the party in the state owing to the fact that Falana is a complete neutral person and has the capacity to help the ruling party to grow much better.

They added that on that note, it was wrong for any individual or group to oppose Falana on political ground.

The APC party leaders maintained 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.

Reading further, Bunmi Akinniyi, former state organising secretary of the ruling party said: “President Muhammadu Buhari has promised Nigerians that by September, 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 the president for deeming it fit to nominate our forthright, incorruptible Femi Falana to join other patriotic Nigerians in his cabinet to fight corruption and return Nigeria to her past glory.

“The meeting urged the 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 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,” the communiqué read.

The reports that President Buhari submitted a list with certain people to be appointed ministers to the Department of State Services (DSS) and were already being screened had caused the frustration among some of the leaders of the APC.