The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Fayose

  • Fayose bought N1.35b properties under six months in office, says EFCC

    Fayose bought N1.35b properties under six months in office, says EFCC

    Detectives have uncovered how Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose bought N1.35billion properties within six months in office.

    The five properties include four duplexes in Lagos and one in Abuja.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has summoned three more people for quizzing on Friday in respect of the ongoing investigation of the governor.

    One of those invited, Oyin Daramola, who is an estate agent, is said to have told the EFCC team  that she did a legitimate business.

    She said she had never been fraudulent in all her business transactions.

    Besides, Dramola, two others are to present evidence of their business fidelity.

    Ahead of the Friday session, the anti-graft agency has relocated Fayose’s associate, Abiodun Agbele, from Lagos to Abuja.

    The governor was inaugurated on October 16, 2014 but by April 2015, he had acquired the properties in Lagos and Abuja.

    The four duplexes, which were bought at $1.3m each, are located on Tiamiyu Savage Street on Victoria Island in Lagos.

    Each of the mansions is a four-bedroom duplex.

    According to EFCC’s findings, while chalets 3 and 4 were purchased through Siqnathor, chalets 6 and 9 were owned by Noga Hotel

    The fifth duplex was bought from the Skye Bank Plc at N200million.

    Although the transactions were handled by  Still Earth belonging to Oyin Daramola, the governor has refused to pay estate agency fees up till the time of filing this report.

    Instead, he offered to pay fees through the award of contracts to the estate agent in Ekiti State to defray the commission on the five properties.

    Agbele allegedly brokered the deals.

    Another source, who was privy to the preliminary investigation, said: “They approached Oyin Daramola through Abiodun Agbele whom she knew in Ibadan.

    “Upon seeing Agbele who came to seek assistance to buy the four duplexes in Lagos, it was obvious he was looking so poor and could not afford the huge cost.

    “ Agbele then said his friend, who wanted the duplexes, will call her. It was then Fayose later called Oyin Daramola. We have the call logs and the transcript of the conversation or negotiation already.

    “Investigation confirmed that Fayose did not pay the agency fees but only offered to give contracts to Still Earth belonging to Daramola in Ekiti State to pay the required fees.

    “Unknowingly, he wanted to award the contracts for kick-back to feather his nest.”

    For questioning are Daramola of Still Earth, her former accountant and a consultant, simply called Titilayo of Philberth company.

    “We are going to interact with these three people on Friday as part of the ongoing investigation of the governor. We had a preliminary interface with Daramola, who was innocently manipulated by Agbele and the governor for a legitimate business,” the EFCC source said.

    Daramola reportedly told the EFCC team:  “I did legitimate business, I am not fraudulent. I don’t do dirty business deals.

    “You can check my background and business records, I have never been involved in shady transactions. Even the purchase of the duplexes, I made sure every process is documented without cutting corners. I have no cause to live a dubious life.”

  • Ekiti TUC leader sues Fayose over ‘retirement’

    Ekiti TUC leader sues Fayose over ‘retirement’

    The court-validated Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Ekiti State has sued Governor Ayo Fayose and his administration at the Akure Division of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) over his compulsory retirement from the civil service.

    Olaiya joined Fayose, Ekiti State government, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Civil Service Commission in the suit.

    He condemned a public service announcement placed by the Civil Service Commission claiming that he was no longer the state TUC Chairman.

    The labour leader insisted that a judgment of the same court in 2013, which validated his chairmanship, had not been set aside by a superior court of record.

    The judgment held that Olaiya’s tenure ends on September 30, 2016.

    Olaiya faced an Administrative Panel of Inquiry following his comments that the state government had received the bailout funds in August 2015, which the government denied at the time.

    He was given a compulsory retirement and demoted from Grade Level 12 to Grade Level 10 as a state counsel in the Ministry of Justice.

    In a chat with The Nation yesterday, Olaiya said he was not given a fair hearing by the panel, adding that the exit from service does not in any way affect his tenure as the state TUC boss.

    Olaiya said: “Let Fayose meet us in court to see the legality of his action on my demotion and compulsory retirement. The Civil Service Commission did not follow the rules since my appointment was regulated by statute.

    “As for the TUC status, I remain the chairman; no illegal retirement can erode it. Fayose and his government can seek legal advice on it; but as it is, Olaiya is the authentic TUC chair for Ekiti State.”

  • EFCC: Fayose got contracts kickback to buy mansions

    EFCC: Fayose got contracts kickback to buy mansions

    Anti-graft agency states details of N1.299b case

    Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose got left kickbacks from contractors and lavished the cash on mansions, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has alleged.

    The governor’s N1.299 billion bank account has been frozeen. He is in court contesting the order, which the EFCC has defended. The case is coming up September 30 at the Federal Gigh Court, Ado-Ekiti.

    The agency did not state how much kickback Fayose got, but it named some contractors who allegedly paid him.

    Besides, said the EFCC, the properties were qcquired in other peoples’ name, among them the governor’s sister, the EFCC said.

    In an affidavit in support of its freezing of Fayose’s account, the EFCC said.

    The EFCC said: “That apart from fraudulently retaining the sum of N1, 219,490,000.00 being part of the N4, 745,000,000.00 stolen from the treasury of the Federal Government through the office of the National Security Adviser, the Applicant (Fayose) has also received gratification in form of kick back from various contractors with the Ekiti State Government, such as Samchese Nigeria Ltd, Tender Branch Concept Nig. Ltd, Hoff Concept Ltd, Calibre Consulting Ltd.

    “That the Applicant received these kick-backs and gratification through Still Earth Ltd and Signachorr Nigeria Ltd.

    “That, in turn, the Applicant (Fayose) instructed the Still Earth Ltd and Signachoor Nigeria Ltd to use the funds to acquire properties for him.

    “ That in complying with the Applicant’s instruction, Still Earth Ltd and Signachoor Nigeria Ltd acquired properties on behalf of the Applicant in the name of a company known as J.J. Technical Services Ltd belonging to the applicant and his wife. Attached and marked Exhibit EFCC 08 are copies of the deeds of assignment for the said properties.

    “That the Applicant also used the name of one Mrs. Moji Ladeji (the applicant’s sister) to acquire a property situate at No.44, Osun Crescent Maitama Abuja from the proceeds of the alleged offences of receiving gratification and kick.”

    The agency opened up on how N1, 299,490,000.00 was wired into Governor Ayodele Fayose’s accounts by one of his associates, Abiodun Agbele, who collected the slush funds from a former Minister of Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro.

    Obanikoro ferried the cash to Akure Airport in a chartered aircraft with Registration No: HS125-800 5N-BMT belonging to  Gyro Air Limited.

    About N300million was put in a fixed deposit account No. 9013074033 in the name of Fayose on the 7th day of April, 2015.

    But Agbele retained N263million on the instruction of the governor.

    The anti-graft agency also uncovered a mansion in Abuja which Fayose allegedly bought in the name of his sister, Mrs. Moji Ladeji, after collecting kickbacks from some contractors with the Ekiti State Government, including  Samchese Nigeria Ltd, Tender Branch Concept Nig. Ltd, Hoff Concept Ltd, Calibre Consulting Ltd.

    The mansion is located at No.44, Osun Crescent Maitama Abuja, one of the posh districts in the Federal Capital Territory.

    Others linked to either the movement and sharing of the slush funds include Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro; the ex-Minister’s company, Sylvan Mcnamara Limited;  two Zenith Bank officials, Mr. Alade  and Mr.Lawrence Akande;  Lieutenant Colonel A.O. Adewale;  Fayose’s company, Spotless Investment Ltd; Gyro Air Limited and De-Privateer Limited, which is owned by Fayose’s associate, Agbele.

    These disclosures were contained in an affidavit deposed to by an Investigating Officer, Tosin Owobo, in the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti.

    The affidavit revealed the blow-by-blow account of how the EFCC traced the arms purchase funds from the Office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) to Fayose’s accounts.

    The affidavit was in response to an application by Fayose to the court praying for the de-freezing of his accounts by the EFCC.

    The anti-graft commission said it took action after “receiving a damning oral intelligence report showing that the 2nd Respondent herein (Zenith Bank) was in custody and in fact had in its possession the sum of N1, 299,490,000.00.”

    The affidavit reads:  “That contrary to the paragraphs 5-16 of the Applicant’s Affidavit in support of the Originating Summons, I know as a fact that the 1st Respondent received an oral damning intelligence report showing that the 2nd Respondent herein was in custody and in fact had in its possession the sum of N1, 299,490,000.00 (One Billion, Two Hundred and Ninety Nine Million, Four Hundred and Ninety Thousand Naira) being proceeds of economic and financial crimes.

    “That upon the receipt of this intelligence, the Commission analysed it and found same to be worthy of investigation.

    “That so far our investigation has revealed as follows: That between the 5th and 17th day of June, 2014 the former state Minister of Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro, in grand conspiracy with the Applicant and the former National Security Adviser, Col. M.S Dasuki (retd.) fraudulently removed the sum of N2,260,000,000.00 from the account of the office of National Security Adviser which sum was fraudulently transferred to a company known as Sylvan Mcnamara Limited with account No. 0026223714 domiciled with Diamond Bank Plc. Attached and marked Exhibit EFCC 01 is copy of the mandate of the account belonging to Sylvan Mcnamara Limited and the extract of inflows from the Office of the National Security Adviser to the said account.

    “ That the principal signatory to this account is one Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro, the son of the said former State Minister of Defence Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro.

    “That on the receipt of these proceeds of crime, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro, fraudulently conveyed the sum of N1,219,490,000.00 (One Billion, Two Hundred and Nineteen Million, Four Hundred and Ninety Thousand Naira) to Akure for the use of the Applicant.

    “That before the conveyance of the funds to Akure Airport Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro, one Mr. Alade Oluseye, a staff of the 2nd Respondent was informed by his colleague in the bank, Lawrence Akande, that a particular customer of the 2nd Respondent will be bringing cash to the Akure Airport for lodgment and that since the volume of the cash is quite heavy, there will be a need for the said Alade Oluseye to use the 2nd Respondent’s Bullion Van to convey the cash.

    “That on the 17th day of June, 2014 Mr. Alade Oluseye in the company of one Abiodun Agbele, a front of the Applicant, went to the Akure Airport wherein they took cash delivery of the sum of N724,500,000.00 from Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and his acclaimed Aide-de-Camp Lieutenant Colonel A.O Adewale.

    “That on the 18th day of June, 2014 another sum of N494, 990,000 was also delivered to Mr. Alade Oluseye by the said Minister in the same manner.

    “ That the total sum of N 1, 219,490,000 was conveyed to Akure Airport by Senator Obanikoro through a chartered aircraft with Registration No: HS125-800 5N-BMT belonging to Gyro Air Limited.”

    The EFCC also confirmed how Fayose instructed, Agbele to transfer the N1, 299,490,000.00 into various accounts.

    The commission said: “That on the 19th day of June,2014, after Mr. Alade Oluseye took delivery of the money being the proceeds of crime, Mr. Abiodun Agbele, the front of the Applicant, received an instruction from the applicant to collect the money and made cash deposit in the sum of N219,000,000.00 to De-privateer Ltd account No. 1013835889 domiciled with the Zenith Bank Plc. Attached and Marked exhibit EFCC 02 is a copy of the statement of account of DE- Privateer Ltd domiciled with the 2nd Respondent.

    “That on the same day, Abiodun Agbele made another cash deposit of N300million being part of the proceeds of crimes to the said De- privateer Ltd’s with the 2nd Respondent(Zenith Bank)

    “That on the 23rd June, 2014, N200million, being part of these proceeds of crime, was also deposited to the said De-Privateer Ltd’s account domiciled with the Respondent by Biodun Agbele whilst acting in concert with the Applicant.

    “That on the 26th day of June,2014, the said Biodun Agbele on the instruction of Applicant further dissipated the proceeds of crime by depositing N137,000,000.00  into account No. 1003126654 domiciled with the 2nd Respondent in the name of the Applicant. Attached and marked exhibit EFCC 03 is a statement of account of the said account domiciled with the Respondent.

    “That on the 22nd and 27th day of August, 2014 Biodun Agbele also deposited N50, 000,000.00 and N118, 760,000.00 into the said account which sum formed part of the proceeds of crime.

    “That in further dissipating the proceeds of crime deposited and retained in the account referred to in paragraphs (d) and (g) above, the sum of N300,000,000.00 was put in a fixed deposit account No. 9013074033 in the name of the Applicant on the 7th day of April,2015. Attached and marked as exhibit EFCC 04 is a copy of the statement of the said account.

    “That this N300, 000,000.00 (three hundred million naira) is still in the account. That on the 17th day of June, 2014, Abiodun Agbele made another cash deposit in the sum of N100,000,000.00 being part of this proceeds of crime to a company known as Spotless Investment Ltd with account No. 1010170969 domiciled with the 2nd Respondent. Attached and marked as exhibit EFCC 05 is a copy of the statement of account of the said Spotless Investment Ltd.

    “That on the 23rd day of June, 2014, N 49,000,000.00 being part of the proceeds of crime, was also deposited to the said Spotless Investment Ltd Account with the Respondent.

    “That there is still a balance of N89, 454,765.00 in this account, being part of the proceeds of the crime.

    “ That Abiodun Agbele, whilst acting in concert with Alade Oluseye of the 2nd Respondent and the Applicant, after fraudulently receiving N1, 219,490,000.00 (One billion, two hundred and nineteen thousand, four hundred and ninety thousand naira) from Senator Obanikoro also fraudulently retained cash in the sum of N263, 000,000.00 (Two hundred and sixty three million naira) on the instruction of the Applicant.

    “That we have interviewed Mr. Alade Oluseye Sunday and his colleague Lawrence Akande and have informed us in writing about how these transactions were conducted. Attached and marked exhibit EFCC 06 and 07 are copies of their statements.”

    The anti-graft agency said it had also uncovered how Fayose received kick-backs from some contractors with the Ekiti State Government, including Samchese Nigeria Ltd, Tender Branch Concept Nig. Ltd, Hoff Concept Ltd, Calibre Consulting Ltd.

    Part of the cash was lavished on a property at No. 44, Osun Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, which was bought in the name of Mrs. Moji Ladeji ( Fayose’s sister)

    The EFCC said it decided to freeze Fayose’s accounts in line with its mandate in Section 34 of  its Establishment Act.

    It also said it followed due process in freezing the accounts by applying to a court for an order of interim attachment.

    The  commission said: “That the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in the exercise of his statutory mandate contained in Section 34 of the EFCC Act, having satisfied himself that the various sums of money in the account No. 1003126654, 9013074033, 1010170969 and 1013835888 domiciled with the 2nd Respondent were made through the commission of the an economic and financial crimes, to wit: stealing and receiving gratification approached the Federal High Court Lagos Judicial Division, for an order directing the manager of the 2nd respondent to freeze the said accounts.

    “That in his wisdom, Hon. Justice M.B Idris granted the 1st respondent’s application wherein an order of interim attachment was made on the aforementioned accounts. Attached and marked exhibit EFCC 09 is a certified true copy of the said order.

    “ That the said order was a preservative order to prevent further dissipation of proceeds of crimes.

    “ That I was informed by Rotimi Oyedepo Iseoluwa of counsel in our office, 15A, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos at about 8:40 p.m. on the 2nd day of July,2016 and I verily believe him as follows:

    “That the 1st Respondent is statutorily empowered to investigate all economic and financial crimes in Nigeria.

    “ That it is within the statutory powers of the 1st Respondent to preserve exhibits and proceeds of economic and financial crimes during investigation for possible prosecution.

    “ That the 1st Respondent(EFCC) has statutory power to investigate the Applicant. That the 1st Respondent has not encountered the Applicant by instituting any proceeding against him.

    “That the Applicant cannot use this Honourable Court as a shield against criminal investigation. That the order of interim attachment was neither directed at nor instituted against the Applicant.

    “That whilst the Applicant enjoins immunity against civil and criminal proceeding being a serving governor, proceeds of an economic and financial crimes allegedly committed by the Applicant do not enjoy such privilege.

    “That the 1st Respondent has the power to direct the 2nd Respondent to place a stop order on any account if it discovered in the course of its duties that such accounts are suspected to be involved in any crimes. That the Applicant will not be prejudiced should this application be dismissed.

    “That it will serve the course of justice to refuse this originating summons.. That I make this counter affidavit in good faith, knowing and believing the facts deposed herein to be true and correct and in accordance with the Oaths Act of Nigeria.”

  • How Fayose, Obanikoro clashed over arms cash, by Aluko

    How Fayose, Obanikoro clashed over arms cash, by Aluko

    EKITI State Governor Ayo Fayose and ex-Minister of State (Defence) Musiliu Obanikoro clashed over the huge cash deployed in the June 21, 2014, governorship poll, it was learnt yesterday.

    Former Ekiti State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretary Dr. Temitope Aluko said this during a live interview programme on ADABA 88.9 FM.

    Aluko, who claimed Fayose did not have up to N10 million in his personal account before the 2014 elections, alleged that his primary election was sponsored by Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    The Ekiti poll fraud whistleblower said it was after Fayose won the Ekiti PDP primary that cash from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and oil contractors was used to fund the campaign for the election.

    Aluko explained during the interview that Fayose bought five houses with N2.3 billion, the remaining of the slush funds from ONSA, in Abuja, and on Banana Island and Victoria Island in Lagos.

    Speaking on the feud between Fayose and Obanikoro on the arms cash, Aluko said the two clashed when it was discovered that part of the funds brought to Akure for the Ekiti poll was short by N80 million.

    He said: “The Presidency gave us security and money; the money was sent from a Diamond Bank branch through an account run by Sylvan MacNamara, a company owned by Obanikoro.

    “My boss (Fayose) said he wanted to get his own in cash and that was why arrangement was made to get his own in cash and that was why such a huge amount (N2.1 billion) was ferried by plane. Obanikoro cannot claim not to have brought the money.

    “He (Fayose) chose his man, Abiodun Agbele, to keep the money in a bank account. The transaction was not recorded and it got to a stage when it was discovered that the money was short by N80 million.

    “This caused a crisis between Fayose and Obanikoro, who brought money three times from Abuja. He (Obanikoro) brought other things apart from money, which I won’t disclose now. It was from it that N1 billion was released to INEC officials to manipulate Ekiti and Osun polls.

    “Fayose was telling (former President Goodluck) Jonathan that he (Fayose) must deliver so that Jonathan will win in Southwest. The PDP elders were kept out of the picture about the transactions and cash and some of the cash deployed did not get to their destination.

    “The cash carried in the plane was not entered into the manifest, the N2.1 billion was delivered to a bank at 4.30 am in Ekiti. The N2.3 billion remaining from the cash received for the election was used to buy house in Abuja and the house belongs to Fayose.

    “Fayose bought five houses on Victoria Island and Banana Island. The property in Dubai was purchased by a fellow, who is known as Bisi in Ekiti but known as Femi abroad. Questions are being asked on the N3 billion used to buy the Dubai property, but I believe that we will recover our money.

    “No big money flowed into Fayose’s campaign until June, 2014. Money collected were either paid into the account of Spotless Investment or Fayose’s personal account.”

    On failure of the governor to pay civil servants, Aluko alleged that Fayose earns 40 per cent of the monthly allocation as entitlement.

    He said Fayose receives N250 million as security vote every month. This was increased from N150 million received by his predecessor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, apart from allowances received from the Government House and Protocol.

    The PDP stalwart doubts Fayose’s claim that the state generates N300 million monthly compared to N600 million monthly generated during the Fayemi administration.

    He said the fact that Fayose imposed many taxes on Ekiti people should shore up the revenue base.

    “IGR ought to be more than that. Fayose is now collecting money by from okada riders, banana sellers, shop owners and other petty traders. If you impose taxes not imposed by your predecessor, the IGR should rise.

    “I want the authorities to beam their searchlight on the IGR accounts run by Ekiti State government because Ekiti people are asking questions.

    “Fayose should shed from the hefty allowances he raised for himself to pay other people that are suffering  because this is someone who is making noise when his account was closed, what about other people being owed salaries for the last six months?

    “It is insulting for a governor to be saying he cannot sell his wife and children to pay salaries. It is absurd for somebody to have billions in his account and property all over to be telling the people to endure pains.

    “TSA is not in operation, state accounts not published, salary structure unknown, IGR unknown, what is spent on recurrent and capital expenditure unknown and the consultant is the same person operating as contractor,” Aluko said.

     

     

     

  • Fayose, Obanikoro clashed over arms cash – Aluko

    Fayose, Obanikoro clashed over arms cash – Aluko

    A former  Secretary of the Peoples  Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Dr. Temitope Aluko, on Tuesday said Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose and the former Minister of State (Defence) Musiliu Obanikoro, clashed  over the huge cash deployed for the June 21, 2014 governorship poll in the state.

    Aluko, who disclosed this during a live interview programme on ADABA 88.9 FM monitored by our correspondent, said Zenith Bank did not sponsor the governor’s election campaign.

    He explained that Zenith Bank only gave Fayose N200 million after he had won the governorship election.

    Aluko, who claimed that Fayose did not have up to N10 million in his personal account before contesting the governorship election in 2014, added that the governor’s primary election was sponsored by Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    He claimed that it was after Fayose had won the primary election that cash from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and oil contractors was deployed to fund the election campaign.

    He said Zenith Bank and other corporate organizations came with business proposals after Fayose had won the election, insisting that the governor’s claim that his campaign was sponsored by Zenith Bank was a “blatant lie.”

    Aluko said during the interview that Fayose purchased five houses with the N2.3 billion, which was a remainder of the slush funds from ONSA in choice locations in Abuja, Banana Island and Victoria Island in Lagos.

    Speaking on the feud between Fayose and Obanikoro on the arms cash, Aluko stated that a crisis of confidence broke out between the duo following discovery that there was a shortfall of N80 million in the money ferried by plane to Akure for the governorship election.

    He said: “The Presidency gave us security and money, the money was sent from a Diamond Bank branch through an account run by Sylvan MacNamara, a company owned by Obanikoro.

    “My boss (Fayose) said he wanted to get his own in cash and that was why arrangement was made to get his own in cash and that was why such a huge amount (N2.1 billion) was ferried by plane. Obanikoro cannot claim not to have brought the money.

    “He (Fayose) chose his man, Abiodun Agbele, to keep the money in a Zenith Bank account and the money was lodged at Zenith Bank, Alagbaka Branch in Akure. The transaction was not recorded and it got to a stage when it was discovered that the money was short by N80 million.

    “This caused a crisis between Fayose and Obanikoro who brought money thrice from Abuja. He (Obanikoro) brought other things apart from money which I won’t disclose now and it was from it that N1 billion was released to INEC officials to manipulate Ekiti and Osun polls.

    “Fayose was threatening former President Goodluck Jonathan that he (Fayose) must deliver so that Jonathan will win in Southwest. All the PDP elders were kept out of picture on the transactions and cash and some of the cash deployed did not get to their destinations.

    “The cash carried on the plane was not entered into the plane manifest, the N2.1 billion was delivered to a bank at 4:30am in Ekiti. The N2.3 billion remaining from the total cash received for the election was used to buy house in Abuja and the house belongs to Fayose.

    “Fayose purchased five houses in Victoria Island and Banana Island. The property in Dubai was purchased by a fellow who is known as Bisi in Ekiti but is known as Femi abroad. Questions are being asked on the N3 billion used to purchase the Dubai property but I strongly believe that we will recover our money.”

     

  • How Fayose got funds for campaign, by associate

    How Fayose got funds for campaign, by associate

    •Rubbishes claim of Zenith Bank’s involvement

    An estranged political associate of Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, Dr. Tope Aluko yesterday punctured holes in the claims by the governor that Zenith Bank sponsored his electioneering campaign in 2014.

    Aluko, Director General of the Fayose Campaign Organisation, said that contrary to the governor’s claims, his campaign was bankrolled directly by the Presidency through the office of the then National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki and some oil contractors.

    “Before the primaries of March 28, 2014, funding came from the Presidency only. After the primaries, various individuals, banks, corporate organisations registered with token amounts (so as to play along),” he said in a statement.

    “But after the elections, contractors came in with funds to solicit for patronage. The current Secretary to the State Government was secretary of Fayose’s campaign organisation while a member of the state assembly representing Ekiti South II, Mr. Awodumila was treasurer.

    “We know as a party that there was no record of Zenith Bank sponsorship of our elections”.

    On Fayose’s  financial worth  prior to the election campaign, Aluko said  he could not boast of N10 million in his account before then.

    “In fact, he sold one of his houses in Ghana and showed me the cash in the trunk of his white Lexus Jeep at his private residence in Afao Ekiti. The recently mentioned funds are the funds he is using within his accounts in the banks”, he stated.

    Aluko who fell out with Fayose after the governorship election, had earlier alleged that former President Goodluck Jonathan gave $2 million cash to Fayose for the PDP primaries and another $35 million for the election proper.

    Aluko gave details of how Fayose used his personal friend, Mr. Abiodun Agbele to launder money and pay various sums paid into the governor’s personal accounts after the election.

    “On August 22, 2014, Agbele paid in N50 million cash and another N118.706 million into Fayose’s Account No. 1003126654. Agbele also paid N49 million cash into Spotless Account No. 1010170969 on June 17, 2014 (four days before the election).

    “On August 4, 2014 when Fayose became governor-elect, he deposited the following amounts in cash himself -N40 million, N36 million, N35 million, N24 million, N20 million and N14 million, totaling N170 million in one day.

    “So Zenith Bank gave him these funds to lodge in his account with the bank after becoming the governor-elect? So which election was the bank sponsoring?

    “The questions are many because Ayo Fayose was already governorship candidate and governor-elect during this period and Zenith Bank could not have been sponsoring him from their bank and using aircraft to bring cash from Abuja/Lagos to Akure.”

    Aluko also said Fayose benefitted hugely from the cash deployed for Jonathan’s 2015 re-election project with funds coming from the Office of the National Security Adviser.

    Said he: “Ayo Fayose was sworn-in on October 16, 2014.By January 30, 2015 he made cash deposit of N145 million into the account of De-Privateer Limited and also on April 18, 2015 he paid cash of N70 million into the same account.

    “The N300 million fixed deposit no. 9013074033 in April 2015 from Abbey in Ayo Fayose’s name can’t be from Zenith Bank but from ONSA /Dasuki for presidential campaign and presidential election.

    “These funds were used to purchase choice properties in Abuja, Lagos and Dubai through other banks in Ekiti which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is working on”.

  • PDP members stage pro-Fayose protest

    PDP members stage pro-Fayose protest

    STREET protests continued in Ekiti State yesterday, as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders and members trooped out in Ido-Ekiti, headquarters of Ido/Osi Local Government, in support of Governor Ayo Fayose.

    They condemned alleged plot by the Federal Government to “hide under the pretext of an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to remove the governor.

    The protesters threatened to recall any lawmaker, who supports the alleged impeachment plot, warning that they will not condone betrayal.

    Some of their placards read: “Stop harassing Fayose”; “Fayose remains blameless”; “Fayose must complete his tenure” and “Peace must remain in Ekiti”.

    Addressing reporters at the rally, a PDP chieftain, Adeola Ogunrinade, said the protest was staged to drum  up support for Fayose, who  he described as the “leader of opposition in Nigeria.”

    He said: “The people trooped out in the last election to vote for Governor Ayodele Fayose because he did well in his first coming. Although they truncated his tenure, we won’t allow that this time.

    “Any of the lawmakers in the House of Assembly who works against the governor is working against Ekiti interest and we won’t hesitate to recall the person.

    “They are in the Assembly on the benevolence of the governor. So any act of betrayal will be taken as a coup against our collective interest.”

    The former PDP Chairman, Idowu Faleye, said every move to unseat Fayose would be resisted.

    He warned the EFCC and the Department of State Service (DSS) against overzealousness.

    Faleye said: “We are ready to resist any attempt to hijack power from Fayose through the backdoor with the last drop of our blood. We have sensitised our people and they know the truth. We will continue to expose the lies and scheming of the Federal Government against the governor.”

    Ido/Osi Local Government Chairman Ayodele Arogbodo said Ekiti youths were behind Fayose and would not fold their arms and see him removed from power.

    Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission Sola Omotoso described opposition politics as an integral part of democracy.

    He warned against attempts to victimise Fayose.

  • Fayose in eye of storm

    Fayose in eye of storm

    Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose is battling with the allegation of receiving N1.2 billion from the cash meant for the purchase of arms for the Armed Forces. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has frozen his personal account. This has generated mixed reactions by stakeholders. ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA examines the controversy and implications for the governor and the state’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    History is about to repeat itself in Ekiti State. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is tightening its noose on Governor Ayo Fayose for allegedly receiving money from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). The amount traced to him and the former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro is N4.7 billion. His Zenith account was frozen by the EFCC.

    Ten years ago, it was almost the same scenario, leading to the governor’s impeachment by 24 out of 26 members of the House of Assembly over alleged N1.4 billion scam.

    The charges against Fayose in 2006 included the illegal operation of foreign accounts, the illegal diversion of local government funds from Ekiti State Joint Local Government Account, the receipt of illegal gift in the sum of 37,000 pounds sterling, the illegal receipt of gifts of houses in Ibadan and Afao Ekiti and the illegal transfer of $100,000 to Citi Bank of the United States of America.

    After his impeachment, which has since been set aside by the Supreme Court, Fayose fled to exile. He was charged to court on his return. The case started at the Federal High Court, Lagos Division, before it was later transferred to Ado Ekiti Division. The case suffered several delay, until Fayose was re-elected as governor in 2014. Since the governor enjoys immunity, the trial was put on hold.

    Lawyers, politicians, youths and other interest groups have reacted to the freezing of Fayose’s account. Those who have hailed the EFCC said the governor deserved the punishment. An indigene of Ekiti State, Dare Awe, described the action as “divine intervention in the affairs of Ekiti,” stressing that the governor is a serial liar. He said the governor’s activities have dented the image of the state locally and internationally. He lamented that the governor kept the huge sum in the bank at a time workers are on strike over the non-payment of their salaries.

    Awe said: “We are suffering in this state, but the guy is only concerned about how he will make money. What have we benefited since he came to power? Our image has been dented within and outside the state because of his action.”

    A stakeholder, Segun Adaralegbe, said Ekiti voted for Fayose in error, adding that the people’s plights have multiplied under his leadership. He stressed: “I mobilized members of my family and neighbours to the nearest polling station to vote for him but we have all realized that electing this man again was a big mistake. People find it difficult to survive; salaries are not paid and he imposed heavy taxes on us.”

    In Gbenga Faleye’s view, the revelation by the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)Secretary, Dr. Tope Aluko, on the deployment of cash to manipulate the 2014 election was true. He said the EFCC now has an “iron cast evidence” against Fayose. He added: “I think the EFCC did its home work well this time around to come out with the facts and figures we are seeing in the newspapers and it is now left for Fayose to defend himself but we are all watching how events will unfold”.

    However, James Arowosafe differed, saying that the governor’s is being witch-hunted. He said:  “We know that the EFCC is acting the script of the APC government. They have been looking for ways to nail him by all means since he came back to power, but I know that they will fail.”

    To Lekan Aborisade, the EFCC crackdown on Ekiti is needless, accusing the Federal Government of turning the agency to an instrument of persecution.

    He added: “Whether they like it or not, Fayose is our governor and will remain our governor till 2018. Enough of this media trial, the man is still innocent until proven otherwise by the court. I believe that as he surmounted other hurdles earlier, he will overcome this one.”

    The House of Assembly has called on the EFCC to de-freeze Fayose’s account. The Chairman, House Committee on Information, Gboyega Aribisogan (Ikole 1), said the freezing of Fayose’s account was a calculated attempt to muzzle the opposition. He reminded the EFCC that Fayose enjoys imunity under Section 308 of the constitution.

    Aribisogan said: “The APC-led Federal Government should concentrate on good governance to reduce poverty and several security challenges in the country rather than embarking on a wild goose chase of perceived opposition as seen in their several attempts to muzzle Governor Ayodele Fayose and many others.”

    Also, the Chairman, House Committee on Health, Samuel Omotoso, argued that the EFCC Act 2002 did not give its Chairman power to freeze the bank account of any individual or corporate organisation without a motion ex-parte in the court of law.

    Omotoso, who represents Oye 1 Constituency, said freezing an account is no longer an investigation, but a punitive action. He said: “A sitting governor cannot be subjected to such an embarrassment”.

    The PDP faction loyal to Fayosem in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Gboyega Oguntuase, described the freezing of the account as “an indecent practice in a democracy.” Former Deputy Governor Paul Alabi, who spoke on behalf of Ekiti PDP Elders’ Forun, said the latest freezing of the account of Fayose was “the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

    The? PDP elders alleged that the agents of the FG had earlier invaded the Ekiti State House of Assembly, abducted a lawmaker, Hon. Afolabi Akanni and detained him for 18 days without being charged to court.

    But, the APC supported the move by the EFCC, saying: “refusing to pay salaries when evidence abound that the state has money to fulfill its obligation to workers amount to wickedness.” Its Publicity Secretary,  Taiwo Olatunbosun, said: “We have said over time that the state has money to pay workers’ salaries after the governor collected 20 months federal and local governments’ allocations, N9.6b bailout cash, N22b refunds on federal roads, N2b Ecological Fund, CBN N2b SME loan, cut-throat taxes on IGR, including taxation of primary school pupils and N5m charge on each of all the banks in the state for their community social responsibility, all that are kept in accounts that are not known to the state’s financial system.”

    Lawyers have expressed divergent views on the freezing of the bank account. Kolade Ilesanmi,  Adeoye Aribasoye and Tajudeen Akingbolu said the commission has the power to freeze the governor’s account provided there is an evidence of money laundering, receipt of slush funds and diversion of arms funds to electoral purposes.

    But, the Chairman of the Ikere Ekiti branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Bunmi Olugbade, and another lawyer, Oladele Adedeji, alleged that treatment meted out to Fayose has sent a wrong signal to the international community and portends danger to the nation’s democracy.

    Ilesanmi contended that Section 28 of the EFCC Act 2002 empowers the Commission to freeze the account of any suspect and obtain a court order thereafter. He argued that Section 28 of the EFCC Act gives the Commission the power to go ahead and investigate Fayose, but cannot arraign him as he enjoys immunity from civil and criminal prosecution.

    According to the legal practitioner noted that while the provision in Section 28 carries that word “shall”, that of Section 34 carries the word “may” noting that the latter is not binding on the EFCC while the former is.

    Ilesanmi added: “Where state funds have been stolen are they saying the authorities empowered by law cannot recover the cash? The account frozen is the ‘res’ and where the ‘res’ is destroyed, where is the basis the action.

    “You cannot use immunity as an engine of fraud, immunity is not absolute; it is there to protect the occupant of the office from distraction but they are misusing it in Nigeria.

    Olugbade said: “No law in Nigeria empowers an organization to act with impunity without following due process. Every law that gives power to a particular authority has a limitation.

    A student leader, Sina Awopeju, lamented that thousands of school pupils have been staying at home in the last four weeks while those writing exams before their strike commenced have been stranded their their studies.

    The President of the College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti Student Union Government, Tope Olajide, said the students in Ekiti state are totally disappointed in the state government and also call on the governor to pay the workers.

    Olajide said: “Governor Fayose has been saying there is no money in Ekiti state, he has been shouting that everyday while N1.4 billion was found in his personal account, and he keeps saying there is no money in the state.”

    The next few weeks and months promise to be interesting in Ekiti State as the latest controversy rages on. But, it remains to be seen whether Fayose will survive the latest storm.

     

  • Fayose: Of greed and indiscretion

    Ill-equipped and ill-mannered Ayo Fayose, the self-styled voice of the opposition is a man with the heart of steel. He without trepidation tramples on sacred areas where angels fear to tread. Like Ali Mazrui said of General Abacha, the late Nigerian maximum ruler, Fayose is too dim-witted to know fear. Unfortunately, this recklessness is what has made him easy prey to both the crafty and the devious politicians.  Just as he blamed his detractors including Obasanjo who took him from the street of Ibadan and foisted him on the people of land of honour, for his fall from grace to grass when EFCC hounded him from detention to court room, he has been blaming everyone else but his own recklessness for his current travails.

    Following EFCC’s freezing of two of his personal accounts and another one belonging to his company, Spotless Investments in the course of its investigations into N4.745billion allocated to a former Minister of State (Defence) Musiliu Obanikoro by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) as a war chest to win the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states in 2014, he first attempted hiding under the immunity clause of the constitution instead of addressing the issue. When that failed, he falsely claimed the President’s wife had a link with Jefferson who was jailed in the US over the Halliburton scandal in Nigeria. And when that also failed, he tried intimidating Zenith Bank for a possible cover- up. And when he discovered helpless Zenith had already performed its corporate responsibility, he claimed the funds traced to his Zenith account was a donation by the bank towards his election bid. But that was not until he had sought the protection of the court where he was advised to go and face his own demons just the same way the courts told him he had no integrity worthy of protection when he sued The News magazine that reported his alleged theft of N1.2billion just before his impeachment in 2006.

    But as said, Fayose’s lack of depth makes him easy target for scheming politicians.  For instance, when Obasanjo, a prophet rejected in his own city, became President in defiance of Edmund Burke’s thesis which literarily postulates that one cannot climb the palm tree from the top, (he lost the whole of South-west including his own ward in Abeokuta in 1999), he found Ayo Fayose, fearless but bereft of prudence the ideal candidate for his ‘main-stream’ experiment which started with Ekiti and later extended to Ondo, Oyo, Osun and Ogun states. Months before the election, he took him to Ado Ekiti where he raised his hand and proclaimed him as the next governor of Ekiti.  He gave fillip to his pronouncement by luring some marketable commodities from AD to PDP with money, vehicles and other forms of security logistics.  With military tactics, Obasanjo rigged Niyi Adebayo out of office in 2003 just as he did in other Yoruba states short of Lagos.  But Fayose, a man without discretion started waging war against the people. Widespread insecurity and assassination of political adversaries including Tunde Omojolaand an alleged theft of N1.2b led to his impeachment

    Thereafter, Fayose,was for eight years in the political wilderness, chased around by EFCC sometimes from detention to courts until a new set of crafty  politicians who saw him as lacking in forethought, recommended him to drowning Jonathan as the fearless man capable of taking on his Ekiti people and leading the squad of Obanikoro, JeliliAdesiyan, and Omisore in the pacification of the Yoruba land.As it was in 2003 when the battle was Obasanjo’s, Fayose did not have to fight any battle in June 2014. He didn’t even need to campaign. He had no manifesto. Jonathan just improved on his estranged godfather’s 2003 strategy. According to Dr.TemitopeAluko, Fayose’sself-confessed partner in crime, at the Aso rock meeting presided over by Jonathan with Fayose, former PDP chairman, AdamuMu’azu, Obanikoro, Jelili, and Omisore where decision to capture Ekiti was held, apart from making N4.7b available for the battle, it was resolved ‘there would be a strike team, a mixture of the DSS, military, and the mobile police’. It was as if Ekiti was at war in June 2014.

    Aluko also claimed that the electoral materials were delivered through Akure Airport and taken to a hotel owned by Fayose’s Chief of Staff DipoAnisulowo in Are-Ekiti, where the alleged manipulation was carried out. According to him, the ballot papers were thumb-printed and result sheets filled by PDP members, which gave the party “undue advantage”. Aluko also disclosed that even when the Department of State Services (DSS) operatives, led by a woman officer, stormed Anisulowo’s hotel and arrested the PDP henchmen, they were released within three hours. EFCC has since confirmed.N4.7b was shipped by Obanikoro through Akure airport out of which Fayose allegedly got N2.2b, Omisore N1.7b and Obanikoro N800m. That was all they needed for the pacification of Yoruba land.

    As it turned out, all the battles were fought on behalf of Fayose in 2014 just as it was in 2003. Fayose’s undoing was his greed as well as his indiscretion. With no lesson learnt from his first tragedy, he again started by waging war against the people. Determined to reduce the state to his level, he, with the connivance of President Jonathan first chased out 19 elected lawmakers and relied on five PDP thugs as lawmakers to pass his budget and confirmed list of his commissioners. He also prevented the embattled lawmakers and new aspirants from entering the state in order to reconstitute the new house in his own image where in the place of the Havel; he could use a carpenter’s hammer to personally pass the state budget without a debate.

    As for greed, a leopard cannot change its skin. While he arranged that the electoral materials to be thumb-printed be taken to Ani’s hotel in Are, he allegedly took personal delivery of his own N2b portion of the N4.7B slush fund. N1.219b of the fund according to EFCC, has been traced to his three frozen accounts in Ado Ekiti. And part of the fund according to EFCC has also been linked to the purchase of three choice properties in Abuja and Lagos by those said to be fronting for Fayose.

    Fayose so far has not denied receiving the money. Besides a failed attempt to hide under the immunity clause in the constitution and blaming others, he has also gone spiritual. Quoting the Bible, he has asked ‘those who have never sinned to throw the first stone.’ Predictably, long discredited ‘PDP Governors Forum’, now headed by Mimiko of Ondo and the Senate caucus which has expressed its opposition to Buhari’s war on corruption have openly identified with his travails.

  • Court won’t defreeze Fayose’s account

    Court won’t defreeze Fayose’s account

    •Orders EFCC to appear July 4

    A Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti yesterday declined Governor Ayo Fayose’s bid to de-freeze his account frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Justice Taiwo Taiwo ordered the EFCC and Zenith Bank, the first and second defendants, to show cause on July 4 why the order being sought by Governor Fayose should be refused.

    He held that the order being sought by the plaintiff (Fayose) was a mandatory one, hence the defendants must be heard before the order is given.

    Justice Taiwo said he understood that Fayose enjoyed immunity and that the court could adjudicate on the matter as canvassed by his counsel, Mike Ozekhome, but held that the relief he sought was a mandatory order of the court.

    He said: “I agree that the applicant has immunity, pursuant to the provisions of the constitution. But it is glaring that the application he is requesting is a mandatory order to undo what had been done and the court can’t abdicate its duty under this circumstance.

    “I am of the opinion that this mandatory order is better granted with the interlocutory order being sought through an application pending before the court, because the applicant has filed papers to this effect.

    “I hereby ordered the first and second respondents to appear before this court on July 4 and show why the order should be refused.

    “This is not a refusal of the order. I have not refused it; I only put it in abeyance, which I said without prejudice to what will be the position of the respondents.

    “But a leave is granted for the service of the defendants with the originating summons in their addresses as contained in the order papers.”

    The anti-graft agency on June 21 froze Fayose’s Zenith Bank accounts with the following numbers 1003126654 and 9013074033 for allegedly being used to launder over N1.2 billion believed to be part of the $2.1 billion arms from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.)

    Ozekhome had sought the mandatory order through an ex parte motion deposed to by a lawyer, Bimpe Olatemiju, to de-freeze Fayose’s accounts, pending the determination of the interlocutory application.

    The motion was supported by an 18-paragraph affidavit, a lone exhibit, which was a letter issued to Governor Fayose by Zenith Bank confirming that the EFCC placed a restriction order on the accounts and a written address.

    He also sought the leave of the court for the service of the originating summons on the defendants in their addresses outside the jurisdiction of the court as contained in the order papers, supported by a 17-paragraph affidavit.

    Ozekhome said the order was brought pursuant to Order 26 Rule 8(1) of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rule 2009 and Section 44(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which gives the court the discretionary power to adjudicate on such matter.

    He relied on the case of Abdulaziz Nyako Vs EFCC to buttress his argument that the EFCC lacks the power to freeze Fayose’s accounts without valid order of the court.

    According to him, the EFCC action violated Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which conferred immunity on the government against civil and criminal procedure.

    Ozekhome said: “It was appalling that the EFCC could play the ostrich to these valid constitutional requirements and take cognisance of the African Charters on Human and People’s Rights before taking the punitive stand against Fayose.”

    Giving his submission, he said Fayose was persecuted for being a lone voice against perceived arbitrariness of the President Muhammadu Buhari government, noting that dissenting opinions were allowed in a democracy.

    The plaintiff’s counsel told the court that the freezing of his client’s accounts unleashed hardship on his dependants.

    Ozekhome told the court to take cognisance of awarding cost against EFCC if the order is granted.