ABUJA, FCT
FEBRUARY 15, 2023
PRESS STATEMENT
FEMI FANI-KAYODE’S POLICE INVITATION, APC URGES CAUTION
By a letter dated February 13, 2023, the Nigerian Police Force extended an invitation to Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, Director of Special Projects and New Media of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, “for a meeting on urgent National Security” on February 14, 2023. It will be recalled that Chief Fani-Kayode was invited and vigorously interrogated by the Department of State Services (DSS) regarding his tweet about newspaper reports alleging that Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was in secret meetings with Army Generals. Following his interrogation by DSS, last Monday, February 13, 2023, Chief Fani-Kayode was admitted to administrative bail and ordered to report daily to the DSS as they continue their investigation into the matter.
The invitation issued by the Nigeria Police Force to Chief Fani-Kayode to appear before them ostensibly on the same subject-matter that is already under meticulous investigation by the DSS gives us cause for concern not only on account of duplication of effort by coordinate law enforcement agencies but its possible implications for his fundamental rights.
Chief Fani-Kayode is an upstanding and law-abiding citizen of Nigeria. He honoured the invitation by the DSS and submitted himself fully to their investigative authority, and continues to cooperate with the investigation.
While we recognize the constitutional authority of the Nigeria Police Force to initiate and conduct criminal investigations, we urge extreme caution in this matter so as not to inadvertently lend itself to unnecessary speculation as to the rationale for simultaneous and multiple investigation into this matter. The PDP has continued to relentlessly exploit and politicize this matter that is the active subject of law enforcement investigation. That is simply unconscionable and disturbing.
SIGNED:
Barr. Felix Morka
National Publicity Secretary
All Progressives Congress (APC)
