Tag: Fayose

Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has told a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, to dismiss the alleged N2.2 billion fraud case the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed against him.

Fayose said he has no case to answer.

In a “no-case” submission before Justice Chukujekwu Aneke, Fayose’s lawyers – Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN) and Olalekan Ojo (SAN) – said: “All the witnesses that testified for the prosecution, including the exhibits tendered, were based on mere speculations, which would not warrant the defenfants’ evidence.”

They prayed the court to uphold the “no-case submission” of their clients.

On October 18, 2018, the EFCC preferred an 11-count charge against the defendants: Fayose and Spotless Investment Limited.

The commission clamed that Senator Musiliu Obanikoro allegedly withdrew and delivered about N2.2 billion from a company (Sylvan Mcnamara) that failed to carry out jobs approved by the then National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki, but allegedly diverted same to Fayose during the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State.

The charge was amended on November 24, 2021, and the EFCC, which called 20 witnesses, closed its case on February 28, 2025.

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Obanikoro recanted during evidence-on-oath that the money he delivered to Fayose was the fund realised from several donations/fund raising and lunching towards the year 2014 governorship election and being the chairman of all the committees inaugurated for the said governorship election in Ekiti State, he was in custody of the fund.

Obanikoro said he was coerced and maltreated different times during investigation by the EFCC officials.

In his evidence on oath before the court, Obanikoro averred that he was neither a director nor shareholder nor have the mandate of the company and its representative to act for or on its behalf.

Agabi said Abiodun Agbele, who was alleged to have midwifed the funds, was not arraigned.

Also, the names of the beneficiaries of the lump sum withdrawn by the authorised signatory to Sylvan Mcnamara were listed in two different mandates/instructions on the letter head of Sylvan Mcnamara tendered and admitted as exhibits.

Neither Fayose’s name nor anyone known to him was on the beneficiaries’ list.

Nine officials from various banking institutions also gave evidence for the prosecution. All of them told the court that the money lodged in the account of the defendants were at all materials legitimate, the reason it was not queried by the bank’s supervisory agencies.

Counsel to the defenders told the court that “contrary to the assertion and submission of the prosecution in opposition to the defendants’ no-case submission filed before the honourable court on May 8, 2025, the Zenith Bank officials stated on oath that they received, counted and deposited the money in an account supplied by Abiodun Agbele to the head of the teller unit, Akure and if the monies brought by Obanikoro was to be illegitimate it would not have been lodged in an account”.

A governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Otunba Emmanuel Fayose and the Ekiti state government bickered on Tuesday over alleged destruction of the former’s campaign posters and billboards. 

Fayose, in a statement in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday accused the All Progressives Congress-led government of destroying his campaign billboards, banners and posters across the state, describing the action as barbaric and a grave assault on the state’s democractic gains. 

The PDP chieftain said that democracy guarantees freedom of participation and that no one should be denied the right to freely associate, consult or express their political aspirations lawfully.

He alleged that the Ekiti State Signage and Advertisement Agency had refused to accept payments for advertisements from him, claiming “It’s not yet campaign season” while the posters and billboards of Governor Biodun Oyebanji are visible across the state. 

Fayose claimed that the action was a calculated attempts by the ruling APC to deliberately undermine the democractic process, limit the ability of opposition parties to participate freely as well as limit his visibility in the state. 

He said, “This is not just about me; it is about democracy and equal opportunity. Ekiti state belongs to all of us, and no one should be denied the right to freely associate and express their political aspirations lawfully.

“Despite the undemocratic attempts by the APC-led government,we will continue our peaceful outreach and explore legal options to challenge ‘state-sponsored discrimination”.

However, the State Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun denied the allegation, describing it as “puerile, malicious and baseless”.

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He noted that the allegations were part Fayose’s preemptive tactics to distract from his own failures and lack of traction in the state and garner sympathy and attention from Ekiti people. 

He restated the Governor Oyebanji-led government’s commitment to neutrality and fairness in electoral process, stating that it will not engage in any actions that could intimidate the opposition parties.

” Fayose’s allegations are nothing but a veiled attempt to garner sympathy and attention. We call on him to provide concrete evidence to support his claims, and we are confident that his allegations will be exposed as baseless and without merit. 

“We will continue to focus on delivering good governance to the people of Ekiti State, rather than engaging in petty politics,” Olatunbosun said.

The group loyal to former governor Ayo Fayose boycotted the ward congress of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Ekiti state at the weekend. 

It was reliably gathered that Fayose had directed his loyalists across the 16 local government area to boycott the exercise, citing the illegal dissolution of the party executives in the state by the national leadership of the PDP. 

The ex-governor was said to have argued that the positions of the party executives from the ward to the state level were not vacant by law; hence the congress was not necessary and illegal. 

The PDP national leadership had last year dissolved the PDP executives in the state which were said to be the loyalists of Fayose and vconstituted a caretaker committee to run the affairs of the party. 

But, the sacked PDP executives kicked against the dissolution of the ward, local and state executives committee, arguing that the national leadership lacked the power to sack the party executives duly elected by delegates at the Congress. 

However, despite the boycott, the ward congress held across 177 wards in the state witnessed huge turnouts of party members. 

Our correspondent who monitored the exercise observed that PDP members in their large numbers turned out to elect the executives that would pilot affairs of the party at the ward level. 

Addressing journalists in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital, The Chairman of the Ekiti state Congress panel,Chief Afolabi Adekanbi commended PDP members for a rancour-free Congress in all the 177 wards across the 16 council areas of the state. 

Adekanbi praised party leaders for their discipline and maturity before,during and after the excercise, saying the peaceful conduct signifies a bright future for Ekiti PDP. 

The panel chairman noted that the state chapter has set a very good example for others across Nigeria, saying that what happened in Ekiti state is a threat to the ruling party as it’s now clear that PDP is more organized than any other party in Nigeria. 

He, however urged all members of the party in the state to maintain the same tempo in the subsequent congresses, adding that “it’s not over until it’s over”. 

The chairman of the caretaker panel in the state, Chief Dare Adeleke applauded members of the congress panel for a good job well done, saying their conduct played a significant role in the success of the congress.

He equally commended members of the party in the state for making sure that the ward congress was conducted under a peaceful atmosphere.

He noted that the successful conduct of the ward congresses demonstrates the PDP’s ability to organize and conduct peaceful elections, charging the newly elected ward executives to carry party members in running the affairs of the party.

•As minister’s aide slams Falana over judges’ housing

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has praised former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose on his 64th birthday, describing him as a dependable ally and a steadfast political figure.

In a goodwill message issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike lauded Fayose as a “valuable friend and brother” whose honesty and clarity in dealing with issues stand out.

“I rejoice with my friend and brother, former Governor of Ekiti State, Peter Ayodele Fayose, Osokomole, on his attainment of 64 years on earth today, November 15, 2024,” the statement read.

 Wike highlighted Fayose’s significant contributions to Nigerian politics and his indelible legacy in Ekiti State, emphasizing his unwavering character.

 “Fayose is a man whose ‘yes is yes and no is no.’ He is a valuable friend and brother who never pretends about where he stands on issues. His footprints in Ekiti State remain indelible, making him a reference point in Nigerian politics,” Wike said.

The FCT Minister also attributed Fayose’s longevity and achievements to divine grace, urging him to continue his service to the nation.

 “The attainment of this age is no doubt a confirmation of the grace the Almighty God has bestowed on him and a challenge for more service to our country, Nigeria. It is my prayer that God will continue to make the days of our own Osokomole on earth fruitful, with immeasurable blessings and robust health,” Wike added.

 Fayose, fondly called Osokomole by his admirers, remains a prominent figure in Nigerian politics, celebrated for his forthrightness and grassroots connection.

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 Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, has criticized human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) over his remarks against the construction of houses for judges and justices by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

 Falana had described the initiative as unconstitutional and an embarrassment to the judiciary, insinuating that it could compromise judicial independence. However, Olayinka, in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, dismissed Falana’s claims as “a display of emotions and sentiments,” defending the FCTA’s decision as lawful and necessary.

“There is nothing wrong with the Federal Government providing accommodations for judges as well as officials of other arms of government,” Olayinka said. He argued that while democracy upholds the principle of separation of powers, the concept of checks and balances ensures that no arm of government operates in absolute isolation.

 The controversy centers on the Federal Executive Council’s (FEC) September approval of 40 housing units for judges in the Katampe District of the FCT. The allocation includes 20 units for the FCT High Court, 10 for the Federal High Court, and 10 for the Court of Appeal.

Falana had cautioned that such actions could undermine judicial independence, stating, “You cannot be seen to be giving cars or houses to judges who are going to determine your cases.”

 In response, Olayinka posed a series of rhetorical questions to challenge Falana’s argument. “Wouldn’t there still be need for land from the FCT Ministry if the houses were to be built by the judiciary? And if it is about exercising influence, is the allocation of lands not enough? Should we also say that bringing the judiciary’s budget to the National Assembly for approval will influence judges?”

 He further questioned whether providing judges with police security, hospital access, or anti-corruption oversight could also be deemed as compromising their independence. “Should judges create their own hospitals or operate in seclusion to avoid influence?” he quipped.