Following the news of the death of member representing Efon constituency, Honourable Afolabi Akanni, in detention onn Thursday, the Ekiti State House of Assembly has asked the Department of State Services (DSS) to put their colleague on national television to douse the tension that has enveloped the state over the development.
This is also as members of Akanni’s constituency made the same call so as to prove to the disturbed community that their representative is still alive as claimed by the State Security Service (SSS) on Thursday.
In a statement by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Speaker of the House Stephen Gbadamosi, the Speaker, Right Honourable (Pastor) Kola Oluwawole, who led members of the House to the office of Director of SSS in the state, while addressing journalists after the meeting, noted that members of Efon constituency had been on his neck over the continued detention of their son, who had, for 14 days, been denied access, to doctor, lawyer and members of his family.
“He has been held for 14 days without trial, without being allowed to see his family, lawyer and doctor. As the Speaker of the House, members of his constituency have been on my neck. Now is the news that he has died in the DSS custody. If anyone says today that Akanni is dead, we have every reason to believe.
“But the SSS director said he has not died; and I pray it is so. They said they were even planning to release him latest by Saturday. I pray that is also so, because I have been under pressure to provide him for his constituents.
“Therefore, let them prove that by putting Akanni on national television tonight. Let him speak to his people and tell them himself that he is still alive, because it was in this same country that they said MKO Abiola was still alive in custody, only for it to be known later that he had since died.
“In a country where an elected legislator has been held for 14 days without trial, anything can happen,” the Speaker lamented.
Also addressing the journalists, leader of a delegation from Efon Alaaye, Pastor Rufus Ajayi, explained that the news of their representative’s death had thrown the town in pandemonium, hence, their visit to the SSS office for verification.
“We asked the SSS about his whereabouts. We also asked them whether he is alive or not. They said he is alive. But we asked ‘if so, how do we know?’ The news has gone beyond Efon and round the whole world. There was pandemonium in Efon when the news broke. Schools hurriedly closed. Okada riders where running helter-skelter.
“We heard that the court had already asked them to produce him, but these people did not release him. It is a shame on this country where disobedience of court orders is the order of the day. And we are doomed as common man. Is that not the last hope of the common man that is being disregarded? I believe the courts too should have their power. Where is the principle of separation of powers?
“So, we asked the DSS to put Akanni on live television, on NTA at 9.00 p.m. tonight so that we can tell the whole world that he is still alive; so that the tension in Efon town would be doused, because the community has been in disarray,” Pastor Ajayi said.
