Tag: Fayose

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has alleged that Abiodun Agbele, an aide of Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, was plotting to abscond from his ongoing trial.

Agbele is being tried with three firms – Sylvan Macnamara Ltd, De Privateer Ltd and Spotless Ltd – on 11 counts of money laundering, involving about N4,685,723,000 allegedly taken by former National Security Adviser (NSA) from the account of the office of the NSA domicile in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The prosecution alleged that Agbele and others knew that the N4,685,723,000 formed part of the proceeds of alleged unlawful activities by Dasuki.

The prosecution claimed that on June 17, 2014, Agbele, Obanikoro and other suspects (said to be at large) took N1,219,000,000 from the total N4,685,723,000, when they “reasonably ought to have known” that the money was part of proceeds of Dasuki’s unlawful activity”.

The EFCC’s fresh allegation of Agbele’s alleged plot to abscond was contained in a notice of appeal it filed against a December 5, 2016 ruling of Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Agbele and others are being tried before Justice Dimgba, who earlier granted Agbele bail and ordered him to, among others, deposit his international passport with the court as part of the condition for bail.

Agbele, however, applied to the court for the release of his passport to enable him travel abroad on medical ground, an application Justice Dimgba granted in his December 5 ruling.

In the notice of appeal, filed before the Court of Appeal, Abuja by EFCC’s lawyer, Wahab Shittu, it was alleged that having been aware of the enormity of the case against him, with the commencement of trial, Agbele may not return to continue his trial.

“There are sufficient materials in the proof of evidence before the trial court confirming that the 1st respondent (Agbele) took custody of N1.219 billion, forming the subject matter of the case and providing sufficient ground for the 1st respondent to abscond from the on-going trial process.

“There is no undertaking provided by the 1ts respondent or his counsel to the effect that the 1st respondent will return to the country before the next adjourned dates of January 25 – 27, 2017.

“The allegations levelled against the 1st respondent are weighty, bordering on alleged corrupt practices running into billions of naira.

“There are sufficient materials before the court revealing that the 1st respondent may not return to the country to face his trial. Not less than 20 witnesses have been lined up, ready to give evidence against the 1st respondent.

“Trial has already commenced in the proceedings against the 1st respondent and others, which trial may be truncated permanently should the 1st respondent absconds from the trial by failing to return to the country.

“A consideration for the entire circumstances of the case, including the huge sums of money involved, including extra-judicial statements of the 1st respondent in the proof of evidence before the trial court, acknowledging receipt of the sum of N1.219 billion ought to have dictated the refusal of the 1st respondent’ application for the release of his international passport by the trial court,” the EFCC said.

He, therefore, urged the Appeal Court to set aside the December 5 order by Justice Dimgba allowing the release of Agbele’s passport.

No date is given yet by the appellate court for the hearing of the appeal.

Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose yesterday signed the 2017 budget into law.

There was an increase of N1 billion on the budget estimate of N93 billion presented to the House of Assembly by the governor two weeks ago.

The Speaker, Kola Oluwawole, said N1 billion was added  to the capital expenditure.

Fayose said Ekiti was among four states that have passed the 2017 budgets.

He said the harmonious relationship between the executive  and legislative arms of government would continue to subsist.

The governor hailed the lawmakers and the people for their  support.

Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has ordered the sack of over 400 workers of the State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti on the grounds that their employment did not follow due process.
The governor gave the order yesterday at an interactive session with the beneficiaries of the N-Power programme of the Federal Government.
Fayose, who is the University’s Visitor, said appointments into public service must be credible and transparent.
He wondered why the university authorities employed 400 workers without advertising the positions as required by law.
The governor said he had to cancel the recruitment process to give equal opportunities to applicants.
His words: “I wonder why more than 400 persons would be offered employment without the positions being advertised.
“This is unacceptable and the Vice Chancellor must find a way to address the issue and give all interested applicants a level playing field.”
The governor called on the Federal Government to tackle unemployment, saying the N-Power Programme was only a palliative.
Participants are to take part in teaching, health, community and agriculture activities for the next two years and would be paid a monthly stipend of N30,000.
“This is only a palliative as it will last for only two years and I am strongly appealing to the Federal Government to take job creation serious.
“When somebody partakes in this programme and is sent back to the labour market after two years, he/she is going back to the starting point, the labour market.
“As for us, we will distribute participants to where they would work and monitor them.
We will also ensure that we do a proper data capturing of the participants.”
One of the participants, Oke Motunrayo Alaba, praised the governor for his support.

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has slammed Governor Ayo Fayose for appearing in military camouflage to present the 2017 Appropriation Bill.

Fayose said he appeared in military fatigue because “Nigeria is at war”.

The party described the governor’s action as an “affront to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and officers and men of the Armed Forces, which is the only institution permitted by law to wear such uniform.”

It said such attitude was unbecoming of his position in a constitutional democracy.

In a statement yesterday by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the party criticised the governor for insisting that he (Fayose) was the ‘Speaker’ while the Speaker, Kola Oluwawole, was representing him as head of the legislature.

The APC frowned at the governor’s alleged contempt for separation of powers as enshrined in the constitution.