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Tag: Fayose

  • Fayose’s core loyalists join APC in Ekiti

    No fewer than hundred known loyalists of former Governor Ayodele Fayose and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Igbemo Ekiti, Irepodun/Ifelodun constituency of Ekiti State yesterday dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The defectors were led by Fayose’s ardent supporter, Chief Michael Bolawole Ojo, and other PDP bigwigs in the council.

    The defection took place during a ward meeting held in Igbemo Ekiti.

    An APC House of Assembly candidate in the constituency, Mr. Hakeem Jamiu, and other party stalwarts in the local constituency while receiving the defectors, advised the new members to be committed to the party’s principles and ethos.

    Jamiu assured that nobody will discriminate against them and that they should make sacrifices for the party to ensure a landslide victory in the forthcoming election.

    The former Senior Special Assistant to Governor Kayode Fayemi on Research and Documentation stressed that the party would not treat any defector as a new member, saying that their contributions towards the success of the party would prove their worth.

    Jamiu said: “I promise to facilitate people-oriented projects that   will have direct positive impacts on the socio-economic lives of the people if elected.

    “Let me assure you, you are here today as full-fledged members, who can enjoy all privileges.”

    Jamiu described Fayemi as a politician exemplary in thought and uncompromising in action, adding that within 100 days of his stay in office, the people have witnessed new lease of life with his decisive actions aimed at accelerating the standard of living of the people.

    “I want to assure our farmers that I will facilitate long-term loans and provide incentives for them to expand production of Igbemo rice and other agricultural produce.”

    The Ebira community in the town had also vowed to work and ensure the party wins all elections in the 2019 polls so that they can continue witnessing and enjoying dividends of good governance.

    Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Bolawole Ojo, who explained that PDP has become a “deserted party with little or no political substance,” said he joined APC because of the laudable success story and progressive policies of the party.

    Ojo expressed his readiness to work assiduously for the victory of all the party candidates in the coming elections, saying all hands must be on deck to ensure victory of the party in the coming polls.

    “Only the APC at all levels of governance could actualise our yearnings and demands when it assumes power after this year’s national and state assembly elections in the area. That is why we are working round the clock to mobilise and canvass for the party’s candidate.”

    He noted that the APC’s assembly flag bearer in the constituency for the March election stimulated their decision to dump PDP, because the APC candidate is a grassroots politician with special focus in providing services to humanity.

     

  • Fayose’s trial: Obanikoro admits he was suspect

    The trial of the immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, resumed on Monday before a Federal High Court, Lagos, with a prosecution witness, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, admitting he was suspected and investigated.

    Obanikoro, a former Minister of State for Defence, was cross-examined by defence counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN).

    Fayose was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Oct. 22, 2018, alongside his company, Spotless Investment Ltd. on an 11-count charge bordering on N6.9 billion fraud.

    He pleaded not guilty to the charge, and was granted bail in the sum of N50 million with one surety in like sum.

    The EFCC opened its case on Nov. 19, 2018, and has so far called five witnesses.

    Obanikoro, the fifth prosecution witness, began evidence on Jan. 21, saying that Fayose received five million dollars and some amounts of naira from the impress account of a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki, in June 2014.

    The court adjourned until Monday for his cross-examination.

    Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) appeared for the EFCC on Monday while Agabi and Olalekan Ojo (SAN) represented Fayose and Spotless Investment, respectively.

    On cross-examination by Agabi, Obanikoro admitted that there was a long time between when he was invited for evidence and when he finally came.

    He also admitted that he was a suspect and investigated when he made a statement to the EFCC.

    When told that he made the statement in self-defence, he said: “I gave evidence of what transpired; I was stating the truth and nothing but the truth.”

    He testified that he was investigated about funds disbursed through the Office of the National Security Adviser.

    “I was in custody for 21 days.”

    When asked how many statement he made when in custody, the witness replied that he made several statements but could not remember how many.

    He told the court that his investigation did not result in confiscation of his property.

    When  told that, from his statement, he did not say that the accused requested him to contact the NSA, he said:  “That is correct.”

    He admitted  that N1.3 billion was brought in bullion van by Diamond Bank on the instruction of the NSA.

    Obanikoro testified that his statement -Exhibit G – was made in answer to a petition against him by the NSA, complaining that a company,  Silver Macnamara, collected funds for which no contract was executed.

    The witness said that the former NSA  orally requested him to furnish that account.

    “If that was the case, why would the NSA turn around to petition you, ” Agabi asked.

    Obanikoro told the court that it was not Dasuki but the current NSA who petitioned him.

    He told the court that he was aware that his son, Gbolahan aged, 33,  paid  N20, 000, into the account of Silver Macnamara in 2012.

    “Look at other disbursements and tell the court if some of them are from members of your family,” Agabi told the witness, who replied that he could only see his name.

    Obanikoro testified that N74,000 was  the balance in that account before June 5, 2014, when N200 million was paid into it.

    “I put it to you that you were the owner of the funds in the account,” Agabi said, but the witness replied:  “That’s not true, that’s not correct.”

    Under cross-examination by Ojo, Obanikoro told the court that the money in the account of silver Macnamara was kept in a bank and not in his custody.

    “You agreed to return the sum of N200 million to the government of Nigeria,” Ojo told the witness, who replied: You are very wrong.”

    ” As at the time of your statement, Exhibit G, the sum of N200 million had been disbursed from the account based on your instructions to the bank,” Ojo added, with Obanikoro replying:  “It was disbursed not once and not twice on my instruction.”

    Ojo told him that he agreed to refund the N200 million because he ought not to have spent the money the way he did, but the  witness replied: ” That’s not correct; it is because it was intended to secure Lagos.”

    “So you agreed to return N200 million spent to secure Lagos?” Ojo asked, but Obanikoro said: “It was a reluctant agreement.”

    He testified that he indicated in his statement of Oct. 19, 2016, the purpose of the N200 million he agreed to refund and indicated what it was meant for.

    Read Also:Lagos APC elders settle Ambode, House of Assembly rift

     

    When asked whether he  was satisfied with the content of his statement to the EFCC before signing it, he said: “Yes and no.”

    Ojo told the witness that he did not mention in his statement that Fayose requested to know from him if there was any message from Dasuki, and he said: “Yes.”

    The witness said that he did not give the EFCC any telephone number with which he  had any discussion with Fayose.

    On the number of days he spent in Ado-Ekiti and what he was did there, the witness replied that he could not recall the number of days spent, but  said he was in the state capital to pursue Fayose’s gubernatorial ambition.

    ” I suggest to you that you are giving evidence here reluctantly,”  Ojo said, and the witness replied: “It is even painful for me to give this evidence;  I must admit that.

    “Can you recall that on June 21, 2014, gubernatorial election was held in Ekiti? Ojo asked,  but the witnes said: “I can’t recall the date.”

    The trial will  continue on Tuesday.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun handling the trial, had earlier risen shortly after the court began sitting over the case.

    She attend an official function and returned an hour later.

  • Fayose, Olujimi inaugurate parallel campaign councils

    The crisis rocking the Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) worsened yesterday.

    Former Governor Ayodele Fayose and Senate Minority Leader Biodun Olujimi separately inaugurated parallel Atiku/Obi Campaign Council in the state.

    While Fayose’s inauguration took place at his former campaign office in Adebayo area of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, Olujimi’s inauguration took place at Ajilosun area and was attended by party leaders loyal to her.

    The former governor insisted that the gathering organised by Olujimi was an effort in futility and an action that lacked substance.

    He warned that he was not contesting for any elective position, saying he may mobilise the people to vote against those he described as ‘traitors’.

    “They need me more than I need them. We will ask our people to vote against these betrayers,” Fayose said.

    Read also: PDP jittery of losing elections, says minister

    He added: “The campaign council was carefully selected to cut across all shades of opinion in the state PDP. I’m wondering what the complaint was all about.”

    Fayose said there were rooms for others, including those aggrieved, to be part of the sub-committees that would be set up by the council.

    The chairman of the campaign council for both camps and former Deputy Governor Kolapo Olusola, distanced himself from the Olujimi inauguration.

    He said the senator’s council was unconstitutional and illegal.

    “There is no alternative campaign council except this one. Any other campaign council where my name appears is illegal,” Olusola said.

    The state PDP Chairman Gboyega Oguntuase said the Fayose-led council was the legitimate and authentic body.

    He said: “This is the legal and legitimate gathering for the event; this is the centre of the leadership of the party in Ekiti State. Any other gathering is not only illegal but it is also provocative. But we shall not be provoked.

    “Wherever the party chairman is, that is the centre. Since the state party chairman is here, this is the only place that this inauguration remains valid.”

    Olujimi condemned Fayose’s council, saying it was a nullity.

    She said: “He was not a party to the selection of the campaign council. They have a right to continue with their assignment. What we said we don’t want is to say that they don’t matter.

    “Those appointed have started work; they have even written letters to the state government for the release of the stadium. They were supposed to have been inaugurated on January 3. Suddenly, everything changed and Fayose fiddled with the list.

    “Why we are here is that we are saying that we cannot shift the goalpost in the middle of the game. We are standing by the original list.”

  • Olujimi seeks dissolution of ‘lopsided’ Atiku Campaign Council

     

    Senate Minority Leader Biodun Olujimi has called for immediate dissolution of the Atiku’s campaign council in Ekiti over its alleged lopsided composition.

    Olujimi, who petitioned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Chief Uche Secondus, called on the National Working Committee to dissolve and reconstitute Atiku Abubakar Campaign Council in Ekiti State.

    The Senator told Secondus to compel Fayose to adhere strictly to the resolution reached by stakeholders on how the council should be constituted at a stakeholders’ meeting in Ado Ekiti on December 28, 2018 to forestall cracks and crisis in the party ahead of the forthcoming election.

    She accused Fayose of having hijacked the council and injected his cronies in all strategic positions with the portentous intention to sideline other members of the party from participating in mobilising for the PDP presidential candidate during election.

    In a petition dated January 6, 2018 by the PDP Senator, she said only immediate dissolution of the highly ‘lopsided’ campaign council can avert unnecessary division in Ekiti PDP.

    She warned failure to accede to the request could be deleterious for the party’s chances in the state.

    She alluded to a publication in the newspapers wherein changes were made to members of Atiku/Obi Campaign Council for Ekiti State without notifying the stakeholders, describing such as “demeaning and mischievous”.

    According to her: “the original composition had Prof Olusola Kolapo as chairman: Otunba Yinka Akerele as Director General and Chief Sanya Atofarati as Spokesperson/Director of Media among others while the position of Secretary did not exist in the original composition by the National Directorate,” she said.

    But the composition, which Olujimi is repudiating, has Prof Olusola as chairman; Chief Dipo Anisulowo as DG; Chief Gboyega Oguntuase as Secretary; Jackson Adebayo as spokesperson and Lere Olayinka as Director, Media and Publicity”.

    Olujimi warned the PDP might lose the state to APC despite people’s resolve to vote against the ruling party in the presidential poll if urgent curative action was not taken to rectify the perceived injustice.

    It reads: “It should be understood that this is another orchestrated plan of former Governor Ayo Fayose to convert the party’s resources and fortunes to his personal enterprise as usual.

    “He did it during the last governorship election and our party paid dearly for it in spite of my advice, warnings and outcry. Once beaten is twice shy.”

     

     

  • ENTERTAINERS OF THE YEAR 2018: Enter Fayose and Adeleke

    ONE was the son of a Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) pastor; the other’s father was a senator. Ayodele Peter Fayose, the preacher’s son, became a governor, was removed in controversial circumstances but staged a comeback years later by uprooting an incumbent to occupy the office for a final term of four years. His co-winner slot of our Entertainer of the Year, Ademola Jackson Adeleke, was busy having fun in Atlanta, United States and elsewhere. The death of his brother, Isiaka Adeleke, who was a former governor of Osun State and senator, pushed him into public consciousness and against all odds, he ran to replace his brother in the Senate and won convincingly. Months later he almost won the governorship election.

    No political figure entertained Nigerians like the duo this year. It will take years before Nigerians forget Fayose’s live performance on national television. On the show, he made a hit record ‘I am in pains. I’m in severe pains.’ As part of the performance, he had a neck brace on. His hand was also in brace and hung on the ‘sick’ neck. Not on his shoulder! One or two tears dropped as he tried unconvincingly to tell the world that his pains were inflicted by police who tear-gassed him and slapped him to prevent him from campaigning for Prof. Kolapo Eleka to succeed him. His facial expression was good— an Oscars act!

    The theatrics broke the internet. Online clips of him shedding tears three days to the election appeared like the act of Peter the Rock to curry last-minute electoral favour for Eleka, whom he went all out to back financially and otherwise. It was the first time many saw a wailing Excellency. He cut the image of a toddler deprived of a yummy ice cream.  He sought the international community to save Ekiti from the siege of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

    Peter the Rock’s viral performance came not long after he was said to have lost consciousness and rushed to the hospital! Thanks to Fayose, jesters got ready-made comic material for online and offline usage. Various versions of “Severe Pain” video clips took over the cyber space by storm and Nigerians had good materials to bring smile to their faces.

    Unlike Fayose, Adeleke, aka the Dancing Senator, did not have to perfect theatrical skills, he simply dazzled all with his natural ability to twist almost all parts of his body rhythmically. Long before he was shoved into the political space, those close to him, especially family members, were privy to this great skill that could earn him millions of dollars in the American entertainment industry! Some who later abused him because of this skill once enjoyed him entertaining them on political hustling. But he was marked when he crossed the line and sought power when all he was good at in their estimation was to just dance, dance and dance and make them forget their sorrow.

    The uninitiated obviously do not know how so good is he that his super star nephew, Davido, screamed “If you dance like Jackson, omo iyen ko kan mi o” in his song titled “Dami Duro”. Davido was not acknowledging the dancing skill of the late Michael Jackson in that song; he was simply paying homage to the twirling wizard who God made his uncle.

    This son of an Ede man and an Igbo mother, who was born May 13, 1960 in Enugu, was not interested in debates and all those intellectual endeavours while campaigning to be Osun State governor. He was just interested in entertaining his way, sorry, dancing his way to the Government House, Oke-Fia, Osogbo!  He just wanted to shock all with his ‘gbagaun’ ways. ‘Gbagaun’ is a slang he uses to conclude most discussions and to depict his belief that the Government House is his for the taking. What a spectacle it would have been if he had been sworn-in as governor: Davido will be singing and Jackson will be twerking to the seat of power. He still believes the court will make him governor and the great dance will still take place.

    Until then, Nigerians will not remember him for one reason only. Not because of his trial over alleged examination malpractice, but because of his feet-and-body-twisting skill. This is the only factor that will keep him in our minds even into the New Year.

    Long live Fayose, long live Adeleke—our joint winner of the much-coveted Entertainers of the Year! Step forward and claim your crown.

  • Fayose squandered N18b Paris Refund to Ekiti, says Fayemi

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has accused immediate past Governor Ayodele Fayose of squandering the N18 billion Paris Club refund the state got from the Federal Government.

    Fayemi expressed dissatisfaction with how the former governor, who owed between four months’ salary and eight months’ pension arrears, could not pay the backlog of workers’ benefits with such a huge amount of money but diverted it for other uses.

    The governor said he had not reneged on his avowed commitment to offset the outstanding salary and pension before marking his first year in office.

    Fayemi spoke on Sunday evening in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, on this month’s edition of live simulcast, tagged: Meet Your Governor.

    Addressing the rumour that he had collected N11.5 billion Paris Club refund barely two months after assuming office, Fayemi said: “Let those making the allegation come with verifiable proofs to substantiate their claim.

    “I have not collected any money in lieu of road intervention or Paris Club refund. Governor Fayose had the opportunity of paying the bulk of the backlog of salaries and pensions.

    “He collected N18 billion out of the N21.5 billion due to Ekiti in the fund. So, what is left for Ekiti is just N3.5 billion, which can’t pay a month’s salary, if we add the overhead costs of subvented institutions.

    “As we speak, we are doing a lot of cleansing and that has reduced the monthly pay to workers to N2.1 billion. Those who were not properly employed have been left out until they provide evidence. The medical workers who were employed on consequential ground have been reabsorbed.

    “I decided to delay appointment of politicians into government for me to be able to pay our workers. With this, Ekiti can now know who is

    the real and honest friend of the masses.

    “I don’t want to do media trial for anyone; so, I have hired the services of a renowned audit firm to look into our finances and the forensic state’s accounts will be published during our 100 days in office in January, 2019.”

    Reacting to Fayemi’s claim, the media aide to the former governor, Lere Olayinka, urged the governor to use the over N30 billion his government allegedly got from the Federal Government on road repairs, arrears of Budget Support and Paris Club refund to pay the workers.

    Olayinka said: “It was on the basis of the N2.1 billion arrears of Budget Support and N14.1 billion Paris Club refund already approved for payment in June that Fayose promised to clear the salary arrears.

    “But due to his bitter politics, Fayemi blocked the payment and more than one month after receiving the payment, he is still following his usual path of deceit instead of paying the workers.”

    He challenged Fayemi to publicise the records of disbursement of the Paris Club Refund the state got from the Federal Government.

    According to him, there were conditions laid down by the Federal Government before the fund was released and states were made to make reports of utilisation of first tranche of the refund before the second tranche was released.

    Olayinka added: “Besides, the fund was meant for both the state and local governments and it is on record that Ekiti fell into the hardship of inability to pay salaries regularly as a result of the debt incurred during Fayemi’s first tenure and the loans restructuring done at the instance of the Federal Government and the Federal Economic Council (FEC).

    “If Fayemi had not plunged Ekiti into unnecessary debt, over N1 billion would not have been deducted monthly from the state’s Federal allocation.”

  • Fayose injured in Lagos car crash

    Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose was injured yesterday when his G-Wagon Benz with registration number (Lagos) AAA 777 TM was involved in a multiple car crash in Lagos.

    The accident occurred on the popular Third Mainland Bridge inward Iyana Oworo area of Bariga around 1 p.m.

    It was gathered that Fayose had driven the white G-Wagon, which rammed into a broken down commercial bus and a patrol motorcycle parked beside it.

    The accident, it was learnt, also affected a Toyota Avalon with registration number (Lagos) FKJ 643 DR.

    Although no life was lost, it was gathered that shattered glasses penetrated Fayose’s body.

    The Nation learnt that the former governor was administered first aid by the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) on the scene of the accident while all the vehicles were evacuated from the scene.

  • Demolition: ‘Fayose turned us to refugees in our land’

    Residents of Ijoka community in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, have accused former Governor Ayodele Fayose of turning them to refugees with the demolition of their property by the former administration.

    They claimed that their houses were demolished without prior notice.

    Majority of them said they were not paid compensation while the few compensated were given peanuts that were said to be far below the values of the structures the former government pulled down.

    According to them, Fayose allegedly destroyed their ancestral buildings where certain traditional rites were performed.

    The Ado-Ekiti indigenes claimed that the demolition had negative effects on their tradition and custom.

    The Ijoka elders and other residents, who were led by the Elejoka, Chief Lawrence Omodara, expressed their grievances during a visit to Deputy Governor Bisi Egbeyemi.

    The community leaders said some of the home owners died from the shock that resulted from the demolition.

    They sought the assistance of the government for compensation, adding that their demand for compensation from Fayose did not materialise before he left office on October 15.

    One of the community leaders Mr. Joseph Fagbuaro said Fayose gave them several appointments to meet on the compensation, which the ex-governor did not honour until his tenure expired.

    He alleged that the demolition of the buildings had rendered many residents, especially the aged, despondent and destitute, as they had resorted to moving from one rented apartment to the other.

    Fagbuaro said: “Truly, what happened to us in Ijoka under the last administration was not proper. It was about 5 o’clock in the evening that former Governor Fayose started demolishing our houses; he destroyed our property and our ancestral homes where we used to perform traditional rites during some festivals in Ado-Ekiti without notifying us, without discussing it with anyone what he (Fayose) wanted to use the houses or the land to do.

    “We appreciate you (the deputy governor) for granting us audience. All attempts to make our plight known to the government during Fayose’s regime were unsuccessful. He gave us appointments several times but failed to attend to us.

    “Some of us went to the farm, and before we returned, our buildings had been pulled down.

    “Please, help us. Some people have died because they had nowhere to go when their houses were demolished. It is not all of us who have children that built houses. Some keep renting houses. Imagine somebody of my age, 73 years, just going about to rent a house.

  • Ekiti workers petition Assembly over Fayose’s N264m ‘grants’ to labour leaders

    Workers in Ekiti State have petitioned the House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts calling for the probe of alleged monthly release of N6 million to labour leaders by former Governor Ayo Fayose for nearly four years.

    Acting under the aegis of Ekiti Workers Rescue Team (EWRT), the workers urged the Assembly panel to summon the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Chairman Ade Adesanmi and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Mr. Odunayo Adesoye, to explain how they spent the cash from 2015 to date.

    The monthly releases amount to about N264 million.

    In the petition, dated November 23, the EWRT claimed that N6 million monthly given to the labour leaders did not reflect in the union’s bank accounts.

    It regretted that “the wicked conspiracy and unholy alliance” between Fayose and the labour leaders showed why they could not fight for workers’ rights during the last administration.

    The group told the Assembly panel that this constituted a moral burden to the labour leaders, who failed to agitate for the payment of arrears of salaries and allowances under Fayose but consistently hailed him when workers were dying of hunger.

    The petition, which was addressed to the House Committee Chairman on Public Accounts, Gboyega Aribisogan, was signed by EWRT Chairman, Mr. Ojo Ayodeji and Secretary, Mr. W. A. Ajayi.

    Attached to the petition was the Auditor General’s Report for the year ended 31 December, 2017, which showed that the TUC received N1 million monthly and the NLC got N5 million monthly under Fayose as “running grants”.

    In the report, the Auditor General recommended that “trade unions, irrespective of their closeness to government, should not be treated as government offices”.

    It added: “The unions are umbrella bodies for workers whose responsibilities are to see to the welfare of their members.

     

  • Ahmadiyyah: Fayose took our land for his son’s filling station

    The Ahmaddiyya Muslim Society in Ekiti State has accused former Governor Ayo Fayose of grabbing its land to build a filling station for his son.

    The Muslim body urged Governor Kayode Fayemi to revoke the alleged unlawful allocation of the land to Fayose’s son to avert a crisis in the state.

    It said the land, located at Odo Otu in Atikankan area of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, was acquired in 1940 during the reign of the late Ewi, Oba Anirare Aladesanmi.

    Ahmaddiyya Muslim Society described the “forcible takeover” by Fayose as “an act of oppression to Muslims in Ekiti”.

    Placard-carrying members of the organisation staged a peaceful protest against the alleged land grab in Ado-Ekiti.

    Some of their placards read: “We Want Our Land Back”; “No Illegal Acquisition of Our Land”; “Enough of Marginalisation of Muslims in Ekiti”; “Government, Give Us Our Land,” among others.

    Addressing reporters on the development, President of Ahmaddiyya Muslim Jama’at in Ekiti State Mr. Bashirudeen Alawode said the organisation was surprised to see a new petrol station being built on the land earlier this year.

    He said the Islamic movement built the first mosque on the land in 1940s before the old structure in mould blocks was demolished.

    The spokesman said the organisation immediately sent a letter to Fayose, and they reportedly got to know that the land was allegedly acquired by the ex-governor for his son to build a filling station on it.

    Alawode said: “We went to the state Ministry of Lands and the General Manager of the Ekiti State Housing Corporation and complained. But they told us the land had been acquired by the government. So, we suspected that government can’t acquire land to build a filling station on it.

    “When we suspected foul play and saw the structure springing up, we sent a petition to the police commissioner and he stopped the construction. It was at the meeting with the police commissioner we got to know that the land was acquired by the governor for his son.

    “Rather than even tender an apology, the ex-governor threatened us and said the land had been acquired and that there was nothing we could do about it.

    “We have documents backing our claim that we are the original owner. So, we are appealing to the government to remove the structure and give us our land back. It belongs to us.

    “We can only negotiate with the owner of this structure if they give us another land within this vicinity. And this should come with all necessary documents.”

    Contacted, Fayose’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, denied his alleged involvement in land grab saga.

    The former governor’s aide insisted that no child of Fayose was building a filling station anywhere.

    He said: “No child of the former governor is building a filling station anywhere in Ekiti State and none of them benefitted from his government in terms of lands acquisition.

    “All actions of his government were done within the ambit of the law; the records are there.

    “Also, the issue in question was addressed with the Muslims while he was in office and the present government is at liberty to look into it, if they have grievances.”