TheCable

Femi Fani-Kayode, a former minister of aviation, says the fate of Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Ekiti state, lies in the hands of God and the justice system.

Fani-Kayode said this in an interview with journalists at the federal high court, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Monday.

He was among the individuals who showed up in court to solidarise with the former governor who pleaded not guilty to the 11-count charge which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed against him.

Fani-Kayode pledged his loyalty to Fayose, saying he is not a fair-weather friend.

“The reason that I’m here is because I’m a firm believer in this country, in the unity of our country and a firm believer and a lover of Nigeria and I’m also a firm believer and a lover of justice, and I also believe that it’s important that people appreciate the fact that courage and solidarity and loyalty is a virtue,” he said.

“I am loyal to my country, I am loyal to my friends, I am loyal to my party. I stand here in total and complete loyalty to my friend Ayo Fayose. He stood with me in my time of troubles and in my travails and I will stand with him in his time of trouble and his travails.

“I believe that it’s important that we learn a lesson from this —that fair weather friends are not real friends, friends that stand with you through thick and thin are real friends. And I am a friend to Fayose and that is why I am here today, to show solidarity with him and to let people understand that he is not alone, because I know what he is going through now. It is a difficult process. He is an innocent man and he is going through a lot. And I’m proud to stand with him here as a friend and brother.

“I reiterate and I believe in the innocence of this man and I also stand with him in his time of need.”

Fani-Kayode accused the government of President Muhammadu Buhari of using the EFCC to witch-hunt political opponents.

“I have been subjected to that (witch-hunt by the EFCC) and virtually every other PDP leader has also been subjected to some form of persecution, one way or the other. That’s the way this government behaves. That’s the way they function. They persecute their enemies and they protect their friends,” he said.

“Therefore, it’s difficult to see how one can accept such a situation. Our only hope lies in God and also in the justice system, which I have confidence in.

“I also believe strongly that it’s important that one looks at the substance of the case and not persecute people or not convict people on the basis of newspapers, which is really the stock in trade of the EFCC.”