By Dapo Akinrefon & Rotimi Ojomoyela

…Falana reacts

Ado-Ekiti—Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State has lampooned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) over the allegations by the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN) linking the lawyer to the purchase of a N1 billion property located at 43 Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja.

Fayose and Falana

But in his reaction, Mr Falana berated those attempting to link him to the purchase of the property.

Recall that the embattled former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, had accused Falana of buying the building which was one of the properties he helped to seize from pension thieves and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Fayose said it was embarrassing, that a man of Falana’s stature, reputed to be a human rights activist and anti corruption crusader could be linked to such scandal.

At a press conference, yesterday in Ado Ekiti, the Governor said: “It has become necessary to add my voice to the new scandal where you find our supposed men of honour, defenders of democracy, crusaders of justice, people who want corruption stamped out of our land, allegedly linked to unfortunate purchases of alleged stolen property.

“Especially, when such allegations are coming from the Minister of Justice for the nation, Abubakar Malami (SAN),” he said.

The governor said, “The disclosure by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, that a Lagos-based lawyer, was one of many highly placed Nigerians who allegedly were compensated by the EFCC and Ibrahim Magu with properties retrieved from corrupt government officials was initially taken with a pinch of salt.

Falana reacts

But in his reaction, Mr Falana said: “When the news of  the scandalous recall, reinstatement, promotion, deployment and payment of the arrears of salaries and allowances of a fugitive from  the law, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina broke out last month I joined other well meaning Nigerians in calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to sanction the members of his administration who had exposed the nation to ridicule.

Shortly thereafter, the President ordered Mr. Maina’s removal from the public service and directed that an inquiry be conducted into the matter. Aggrieved by my intervention in the shameful episode the fugitive and his cohorts have attempted, albeit unsuccessfully, to link me with  the criminal diversion of one of the properties purportedly recovered by the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reform.’’

“Having regard to the facts and circumstances of this case, Mr. Maina’s allegation that the management of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission sold the property at No 42, Gana Street, Maitama District, Abuja or any property to me is a figment of his fecund imagination for mischief.

Since the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Malami SAN has apparently swallowed hook, line and sinker, the cock and bull story of Mr. Maina, a fugitive from the law of the Republic, I am compelled to challenge him to substantiate his mendacious allegation that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had allocated or sold the property in question or any other property to me.’’

Instead of engaging in a cheap campaign of blackmail Mr. Malami SAN  should have taken steps to recover the alleged N1 billion property  for the federal government  if he  is convinced that it is a proceed of crime.”