By Rotimi Ojomoyela

Ado-Ekiti—Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, Mr  Ayodele Fayose has described as satanic and undemocratic the Federal Government’s attempt to secretly try the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki, by using mask-wearing prosecution witnesses.

Fayose, who expressed surprise at the action of the of All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government said by the arrangement, it is becoming obvious that President Muhammadu Buhari has something to hide on the issue of Col. Dasuki, saying: “If you were not afraid to call someone a thief in the market place, you should not be afraid to try such a person in the full glare of the public.”

Fayose

The governor, who said Nigerians should ask the Federal Government why it was afraid of trying Dasuki openly, noted that; “Since names of the would-be prosecution witnesses have already been made public, what agenda is the government pursuing by insisting that its witnesses be given protection by the court by not allowing their names and addresses to be made public in the course of the trial.”

In a statement issued yesterday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose challenged the Federal government to allow live television coverage of the triali so that it can tell the entire world how Dasuki actually stole the $2.1 billion arms money and he (Dasuki) will also defend himself in the full glare of the public.

The governor said; “You accused someone of corruption in the market place and the person you accused is saying he wants to defend himself in the market place too, but you, the accuser is insisting that the accused must be tried in your bedroom, I think someone is trying to hide something?”

He said it was curious that the Federal Government could approach the court for the second time, seeking for an order to conduct secret trial in a celebrated criminal matter, on which it claimed to have watertight evidences.

Governor Fayose added that even the prosecuting counsel, who filed the application, should be ashamed for allowing themselves to be used as tools to subvert democracy.