Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode

Former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, yesterday said he stood by the allegations and assertion he made against the All Progressives Party (APC) in a television programme in Lagos on Monday.

Fani-Kayode had alleged that the leaders of the APC were sympathetic to Boko Haram terrorists.

The APC spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had threatened to drag the former minister to court for libel if the statement was not retracted.
But Fani-Kayode in a statement yesterday said he  stood by his assertions and that  nothing would make him retract the statement.

He said: “I read the response of the APC, through it's spokesman Lai Mohammed, to my allegations and assertions in the interview that I gave to Channels TV on  June 30, 2014.

“I wish to make it clear that I stand by every single allegation and assertion that I made in the said interview and that I believe strongly that the APC comprises of at least a handful of Boko Haram sympathisers and questionable individuals who have at various times expressed a certain degree of support for Boko Haram.

“I wish to state clearly and categorically that Lai Mohammed, the official spokesman of the APC, is a pathological liar. He did indeed make the said comments about Boko Haram that I attributed to him in the interview.

“Apart from being a pernicious liar he is also going senile and therefore habitually forgets what he once said and simply derives pleasure from creating even more problems for his political party than they already have. Though he denied it, it is on record that he protested about and opposed the proscription of Boko Haram by the federal government in various newspapers on June 10, 2013 and he described such proscription as being unconstitutional and/or extra-constitutional and wrong in various newspapers.

“At that time he spoke in his official capacity as the spokesman of the ACN which is a constituent part of the present-day APC and which merged with other parties a few months later to form the said APC.

“The same Lai Mohammed is now the spokesman of the APC and I have no reason to believe that he has purged himself of his earlier sympathies for that murderous organisation and it's deadly activities.

“I should also add that the same Lai Mohammed, on behalf of his party, opposed the idea of Boko Haram being labelled as a terrorist organisation by the United States of America throughout last year. As shameful as it is, this was his position and that of his party after that evil and insidious terrorist organisation had slaughtered thousands of our compatriots and innocent citizens and abducted, bombed and maimed our people. This speaks volumes.

“I would like to take this opportunity to state that I stand by every word that I said about General Muhammadu Buhari in the said interview and that his words and statements about Boko Haram and the agenda of those that believe in and support Boko Haram raises a lot of questions. These words were not in any way misconstrued or taken out of context in the said interview.”


Source: ThisDay