Lere Olayinka, the Special Assistant on Public Communications & New Media to Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has come out to dare President Muhammadu Buhari on the issue of ‘national red line’ crossing.
In an open letter to Buhari on Sunday, the audacious Fayose apologist insisted that the President does not have any moral right to deny Nigerians of their rights of free speech in the name of ‘hate speech or crossing national red line.’
Read the full text of the letter here:
September 10, 2017.
General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd),
President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,
Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Aso Rock Presidential (Residential) Villa,
Abuja.
Dear President Buhari,
OFFER TO CROSS YOUR NATIONAL RED-LINE
Your Excellency Sir, because of your health, I will go straight to the main reasons for writing this letter.
My name is Lere Olayinka, a citizen of Nigeria from Okemesi-Ekiti, Ekiti West Local Government, Ekiti State.
Upon your return to Nigeria after 103 days abroad, spending our money to treat yourself of sickness you never disclosed to us, you came up with your National Red-Line threat.
Even though you have failed, and or neglected to tell us what amounts to crossing the national red line, your Information Minister, Lai Mohammed already threatened Nigerians on Hate Speech before your arrival.
From your understanding, crossing national red line is the same as telling you and the cabal ruining Nigeria the truth about the cluelessness of your government. It is about not behaving like the 15 million mumus who voted for you, hoping that you will improve the economy of Nigeria despite that you were unable to improve your personal economy – remember your cows did not increase from 150 that they were since 2003!
Mr President, in the past, you went beyond criticizing the government to inciting Nigerians to violence. You even held previous governments before yours in contempt so much that you refused to attend Council of State meetings.
In 2011, you reportedly told your supporters: “Ku fita ku yi zabe. Ku Kasa, ku tsare, ku raka ku tsaya. Duk wanda bai yarda ba, ku halaka shi.” Meaning: “Firstly, you must register, come out and vote. You guard, protect, escort to the collation centre and you wait until the result is counted. Anyone who stops you, kill them!!!”
Mr President Sir, your infamous inflammatory statement caused widespread violence and killings of Nigerians in the 2011 general elections. Several young and promising youth corps members were killed.
In May 2012, you made your infamous “baboon and blood” statement in Kaduna when some CPC members from Niger State paid you a visit.
You said; “…if what happened in 2011 should again happen in 2015, by the grace of God, the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood.’’
You hated governments before yours, crossed and even jumped national red lines and no one threatened you with arrest.
As president, you have demonstrated hatred for people from other parts of Nigeria by simply looking the other way while Fulani herdsmen were killing them.
When over 1,000 Agatus of Benue State were killed by Fulani herdsmen, you did nothing! Whereas, you led Arewa leaders to Ibadan on October 13, 2000 to complain to the then governor of Oyo State, Lam Adesina over alleged killing of over 60 Fulani Herdsmen in Saki, Oke-Ogun Area of the state.
Your Excellency, if what you have in mind now is a Nigeria of 1984 – 1985 where Nigerians were not free to express their minds, you have missed it sir.
We are now being governed by the Constitution, not Decree. Decree 4, which you promulgated in 1984 to shield yourself from criticism, is dead and buried with military dictatorship that you headed.
Section 39(1) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria guarantees freedom of expression as a fundamental right. This right is also guaranteed under the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments.
Even though criminal defamation is provided for in the Criminal Code 26 for the Southern Nigeria and the Penal Code 27 for Northern Nigeria, Justice Olatawura, in “Arthur Nwankwo Vs Anambra State (July 27, 1983)” declared the law of sedition inconsistent with the 1979 Constitution.
Justice Olatawura said; “Those who occupy sensitive posts must be prepared to face public criticisms in respect of their office so as to ensure that they are accountable to the electorate. They are within their constitutional rights to sue for defamation but they should not use the machinery of government to invoke criminal proceedings to gag their opponents as the freedom of speech guaranteed by our constitution will be meaningless. As long as the constitution is not suspended, and this is not done in democratic society, freedom of expression should be protected…”
I therefore wish to tell you that I am not among those Nigerians that you and your clueless government can threaten with Hate Speech and Crossing National Red-Line nonsense.
Consequently, I write to formally inform you that I will be among those courageous Nigerians that will constantly cross your national red lines. If you tell me where the national red lines are now, I am willing to cross them right in your presence.
You crossed several national red lines as a private citizen and Nigerians, including myself will also continue to cross your national red lines by telling you those truths that you do not like.
After all, your dear wife, Aisha once crossed your national red line by saying she won’t support you if you contest in 2019. One of your ministers, Amina Alhassan, the one that is called Mama Taraba has also crossed your line by telling you to your face that she won’t support you in 2019. You must arrest these two people first!
Finally and lastly Sir, while I will keep crossing your national red lines, I will be on top Oke Agbonna in Okemesi Ekiti, holding consultations with Irunmales and you can send your DSS to come and arrest me there.
Thank you and Happy Sunday Sir.
Lere Olayinka
No 1, Agbonna Hill Top,
Okemesi Ekiti, Ekiti State
