Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Aviation Minister, responds to the reactions trailing his rumoured bid to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC).
Trap, spy claims
Over the last week, millions of Nigerians have expressed concern about which direction I am going politically and much has been said.
Some have gone out of their way to reach out to me and offered their counsel out of genuine love and concern.
Others have not reached out to me and feature written or spoken out of lack of information, hate and malice imputing the worst motivations for movements that they claim I even have purportedly taken.
This contribution is an try and offer answers to only some of the typically asinine and absurd assertions and observations that the latter organization has made.
Some say they warned me and that I actually have fallen into a trap at the same time as others say my voice has been silenced, I am a spy and that this indicators the quit of my political career.
My reaction to them and others who have conjured up even stranger motivations and conspiracy theories with regards to FFK is as follows:
To whom it may difficulty: spare me your crocodile tears and be relaxation assured that I am too large, too wise, too experienced and too forthright to fall into any entice.
It is impossible to castrate a lion, render it impotent or silence its roar.
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Beliefs
I stand on all my beliefs, center values and standards. I am the voice of the voiceless, I am a warrior, I fear nothing, I worry no-one, I am as consistent as the northern superstar and I will ALWAYS stand against evil.
Speaking to different leaders across birthday party traces for you to build bridges, engender peace, foster balance and beautify countrywide harmony ought not to create such countrywide and international rage, panic and pandemonium.
Are we so divided that we are able to’t even talk to one another and take snap shots collectively with out inflicting a public stir and putting the Internet on hearth?
You insult me and say I am scared of prison due to the fact I had a meeting with APC governors?
Do you already know how many PDP and APC governors and leaders I engage with and meet regularly? Do you realize how many I speak to on a each day basis?
Do you understand that I changed into prosecuted for seven years via PDP governments which tried to jail me truely for speakme out towards them but it did now not deter me? Ask people who were in the Yar’Adua and Jonathan administrations.
After a while, they were given tired due to the fact the extra they tried to intimidate me into silence or make me flee the united states of america, the greater I stood my ground and fought from my corner till they gave up.
Does that sound like a man that is fearful of death or prison?
You insult me and say I am broke due to the fact I had talks with two APC governors.
Do you recognize that what I spend on profits in one month is extra than what some of those people that are claiming I am broke earn in five or 10 years?
I have fifty five home staff in my house alone. Not certainly one of them receives beneath 70,000 naira in keeping with month that is higher than the national minimal salary.
I do no longer owe salaries and I feed every of the three rectangular food every day.
I do all this simply to assist them and to ensure they can look after and feed their households. Does that sound like a broke?
That is my little contribution to the welfare of our human beings due to the fact I absolutely do not need so many group of workers. I hire them simply to preserve them off the unemployment line.
Apart from that, do you recognize how many humans I supply scholarships to and how many people’s children I feed and train? Do you know what number of different households I am answerable for in terms of every day residing?
The Bible says “be your brother’s keeper” and I do this stuff unto the Lord. I do them and I will in no way stop even when my good is repaid with evil.
The Lord has continually furnished for me and given me the fat of the land. He has constantly induced me to be a blessing to others though I do now not make noise approximately it.
For the final 60 years of my lifestyles, He has been exact to me. He has brought on me to excel, prosper and flourish and from beginning to cease He has constantly been with me and mine.
You say I make money thru politics; in the meantime, I left public workplace in 2007 which is thirteen years in the past! Does that make sense to you? In any case, is politics my handiest supply of profits?
Am I your traditional baby-kisser who craves optionally available workplace? Do I even attend their conferences? I had been on this game on account that 1990!
I have been making contributions to modern affairs, political discourse and politics for the beyond 31 years that is lengthy before most of these days’s governors or Ministers even knew the meaning of the word.
NADECO
And it become always a warfare that worried sacrifice. Where have been my detractors after I became in NADECO and fought towards the navy rule?
The statistics are there and so are the essays and a number of the human beings I worked with.
Where have been they whilst we installation September Club in 1989 and a number of the kingdom’s best leaders and elder statesmen and pinnacle politicians over the last 30 years, along with presidents, governors, Ministers and legislators throughout party lines, were participants?
Where have been they in the days of NRC, SDP and Choice ’ninety two whilst politics become real, whilst the greats held sway and when men honoured their word?
Where have been they while we risked desirous about MKO Abiola’s stolen mandate and June 12th or even needed to move into exile for years due to it?
Where had been they while we stood in opposition to the annulment of June twelfth and fought in opposition to the authorities of General Sani Abacha?
Where have been they when we fashioned the Progressive Action Movement in 1999 and a number of the nation’s brightest and fine younger stars and minds made their contribution to countrywide affairs?
Where had been they while we fought towards Senator Ali Modu Sheriff who was allegedly despatched to smash the PDP?
Where had been they once I led President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential marketing campaign in 2015 and took the warfare to the gates of the enemy?
Where were they once I stood behind President Olusegun Obasanjo and confronted down ALL his detractors?
Where had been they after I changed into centered and almost assassinated on separate activities for the duration of the Obasanjo presidency in reality because I become the President’s defender-in-chief and armour bearer and turned into absolutely dedicated to his motive?
I did all this in the past and gift and you say I am earning profits from it? Do you already know the dangers involved in this stuff?
Do you realize I might have been killed collectively with members of my circle of relatives long in the past and most truly might have had it not been for God?
Can my detractors surrender a lot and danger so much just for politics? Honestly, it certainly is the private insult.
Wealth and politics
Some folks had been born into wealth and have in no way lacked it. We have been born into politics too. We have been born into the circles of strength so nothing moves us.
For us, politics is a noble calling and not a profession. It is ready proffering answers to complicated national problems and no longer about the acquisition of primitive wealth.
We gave up all for the conflict for democracy and the possibility to assist to increase our us of a and circulate her forward and now we are insulted and mocked and instructed we did it for cash? Which money?
How lots can I be offered or bribed with? All the money within the international couldn't move me due to the fact I even have never lacked it.
What have I now not had or enjoyed in existence from a very young age? Where have I no longer been?
I got here to the conclusion long in the past that every one is arrogance and that material wealth approach nothing. I might in no way sacrifice my concepts or integrity for it.
Mallam Abba Kyari, the President’s late and powerful Chief of Staff, was my brother for over 40 years and we interacted frequently while he changed into in energy.
I never requested him for ANYTHING from his government simply as I in no way asked or were given ANYTHING from any of the preceding Federal Governments among 2007 and 2021.
If I had executed so I would no longer have been able to criticise the ones governments publicly and I would were uncovered. You can not criticise wherein you eat from.
I did not join APC whilst Abba changed into in authorities and I did now not compromise my standards when I could have requested him for some thing on the grounds that he had the ear of the President.
I reputable and cherished him for who he became and NOT for the placement he held and the feeling turned into mutual.
I hostile his government no matter our friendship and did not share his perspectives but we remained pals because our friendship was nicely above politics.
That is what civilised human beings do. They conform to disagree and respect every different’s views. They never permit it come among their friendship.
I antagonistic Abba’s government and risked dropping an antique and loyal pal and brother because I believed passionately in all I said. I believed all that I said then and I nonetheless believe it nowadays.
All that and now you dare to question my resolve and consistency? It is laughable.
Consistent
You say I am inconsistent. Meanwhile, I had been more constant in my perspectives over the past 30 years than 95% of Nigerian leaders and I actually have stuck to my guns despite all way of persecution and suffering!
You say I have no relevance in the meantime tens of millions all around the world study my phrases avidly every day and comply with my movements religiously because I encourage them due to the truth that I even have always had the courage of my convictions and I actually have constantly spoken truth to strength.
Unlike most politicians, I honestly inspire human beings and deliver them wish. And most crucial of all they agree with me and agree with my judgment.
They have additionally acknowledged the reality that extra regularly than now not my words are prophetic and I actually have displayed exceptional insight and foresight on the subject of national affairs.
How many of your so-called “applicable” leaders have accomplished that? How a lot of them have displayed such braveness under fire for years on stop?
How a lot of them will have their newspaper columns in three national dailies closed over the years because of threats to the publishers from the government and yet hold writing their essays on social media with millions of humans everywhere in the international still analyzing them and receiving the message?
How a lot of them may be blacklisted by way of newspapers and tv stations with threatening orders from above and still keep speaking?
How many of them across birthday celebration strains can mold the thoughts and guide thousands and thousands on this manner with their suggest, words, moves and thoughts?
First seven years of persecution beneath PDP then 5 years of persecution under APC! HOW a lot of your leaders can stand such hearth and ache and nonetheless fight on?
Almost they all ever do is promote you down the river, let you know lies, forget about your ache, lie to you, mock you, use you and come up with crumbs in return in your acclamation, help and loyalty but you adore them for that.
You say I am fearful of even greater persecution. At the age of 60, you accept as true with I am scared?
What more can they do to me that they have got no longer carried out already? And what greater am I looking for in life that I have no longer enjoyed over time?
Yet you assert I am scared! And those who say so can barely undergo one-10th of what I have persisted.
Some of them make noise from the safety of different countries and live away from Nigeria out of worry of being locked up yet they mock those folks that live on the doorsteps of our oppressors in Nigeria and dare them to their faces.
Some of them have not been able to face problem or deprivation and neither can they bear it whilst their rights are being violated.
Yet to a lot of us this has grow to be the norm and we are used to it yet we still hold to war and fight the device regardless. Let me provide you with just one instance. Do you already know that I actually have no longer been able to travel out of Nigeria for the ultimate 13 years because my passport become first seized by using a PDP government for 8 years after which by using an APC authorities for 5 years?
Do you know that I could not even cross for scientific take a look at-americaoutdoor the u . S . A . Due to that?
Locked up with B/Haram suspects
Did you ever hear me bitch or did this ever forestall me from speaking reality to energy, status organization in opposition to injustice or talking up for the weak, the persecuted and the voiceless?
Do you realize I changed into locked up by means of both PDP and APC Federal Governments for no just reason?
Do you understand I changed into even locked up in Boko Haram detention centres with Boko Haram suspects?
Do you realize that only terrorists have been stored inside the facility that they saved me? Do you realize that that vicinity became worse than Guantanamo Bay and that it changed into built with the aid of the British authorities?
Do you know how terrifying that turned into and that I could have been killed or maimed whilst there?
Yet did you ever pay attention me whinge about it, post, compromise, give up or back down from criticising the government or preceding governments because of those trials and tribulations?
How lots of your so-called “relevant” and “super” leaders can bear such torment and injustice without cracking? Did you ever see or pay attention me crack? Did I ever smash?
Do you know what horrors my first wife Regina and my daughter Remi have been subjected to with the aid of a PDP government? Do you know why they had to move into exile and stay overseas?
Do you understand what hell my ex-spouse Precious and first son Aragorn had been subjected to by using the APC government?
Do the tears we shed secretly and the variety of instances we suffered and were forced to head underground for no just motive?
Do you realize the form of stress and torment this placed us via? Do you already know that each one our financial institution money owed have been frozen for 5 years?
Did all that prevent me or forestall us from status? Did we now not bear and undergo all of it with dignity for years and still preserve to make our contribution to countrywide affairs with zeal and passion?
Yet leaders like me that make these sacrifices and speak the fact you describe as having no relevance, no consistency and you hate.
You mock, ridicule, insult and consider the very worst about us at the drop of a hat. Some even have the nerve and effrontery to mention we are not politicians without a doubt due to the fact we've got no longer run for optional office.
It is those who communicate the fact and that is brave sufficient to reveal and confront the evil which you hate, judge and continually think and anticipate the more severe off at the drop of a hat.
Do that despite facing the most vicious persecution and prosecution for seven long years the court discovered me now not responsible of corruption even as I changed into Minister of Aviation and Minister of Culture and Tourism and acquitted and discharged me?
How many of your leaders can endure going to courtroom for seven years before four exceptional judges and within the midst of a vicious media witch-hunt in which maximum people who knew not anything approximately the case had declared me responsible?
How many of you may have survived that with out capitulating, cracking, begging and bending the knee?
Do you realize that I have been dealing with prosecution for the past five years in two separate courts for doing clearly not anything wrong besides leading a presidential marketing campaign towards Buhari and for Jonathan in 2015 and because of politically-influenced and malicious costs which were filed handiest due to my bitter and cruel competition to the Buhari authorities?
Do you understand that under my tenure as Minister of Aviation there have been no aircraft crashes while the yr earlier than I got here in there had been five and 453 died in those crashes?
Do you realize that I positioned a forestall to those crashes and that I am the most effective Minister of Aviation in Nigerian records underneath which there had been NO aircraft crashes?
Poll
Do you know that despite all of the challenges and persecution I turned into these days polled with the aid of 85% of the readers of Vanguard Newspaper that I become the loudest and maximum consistent voice of opposition against the Buhari government over the past five years?
All this yet you label me a coward and a person that has completed nothing?
Do you recognize that most of those leaders you revere and love so much are cowards who're unable and unwilling to hazard all and communicate fact to strength?
All they're able to do is to mislead you and their fans to hate and insult those people that really care for you.
No man born of a girl can silence my roar!
I am who I am. I am FFK.
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