Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has declared that President
Mohammadu Buhari was using an equally corrupt Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC) to stamp out corruption in Nigeria, insisting
that the President must start the corruption fight from his party and
immediate aides since charity begins from home.The governor said:
“EFCC opinions remain their opinions and if they are so sure of whatever
information they have, they should go to court and stop subjecting
Nigerians to media trial and that no amount of media trial from the same
elements that orchestrated my removal in 2006 can erode my popularity
among Ekiti people.”
He said any property that may be linked to him or his company was bought
legitimately and his properties were duly declared in his assets
declaration form and sources of such funds were not illicit.
In a release issued on Wednesday by the Special Assistant to the
Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka,
maintained that his election was funded by Zenith Bank as well as
donations from friends and associates, adding that;
“As a promising candidate of my party, I cannot stop Nigerians from
supporting my election like every other candidates of other political,
including President Buhari.”
He said since the money he got for his election was from legitimate
sources and not from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA)
as being concocted, how the money was spent remained his own business
and not that of anyone.
The governor also debunked the reported allegation by the EFCC that he
received bribe from any contractor in Ekiti; saying; “if they have
anything against me, they should keep their gun powder dry.
“Because in 2006 when they took me to court, their allegations crumbled
like pack of cards because court decisions are founded on facts and law,
and not on media trial as currently being done by the EFCC as
teleguided by the APC in their desperation to set the people against me
knowing fully that they are not on ground.”
He added:
“having failed to buy the conscience of Ekiti House of Assembly members,
the APC people have become increasingly afraid of 2018 and that the
agencies of the Federal Government should know that no matter how hard
they try, Ekiti electorate will not be deceived by their blackmail and
media trial.
Governor Fayose said
“The EFCC should be told in clear terms that this is 2016 and not 2006
when impeachment notices against governors were signed on the table of
EFCC operatives. Those who are teleguiding the EFCC now should also be
reminded that they did more than what they are doing now in 2006, yet I
was overwhelmingly voted for by the Ekiti people eight years after the
orchestrated impeachment which the Supreme Court declared illegal.
The governor asked;
“Should Nigerians now conclude that EFCC is an appendage of APC? Is the
EFCC for investigation of corrupt practices among all Nigerians or
members of opposition parties alone?”
The governor said;
“As at today, I have not been accused of stealing a dime from Ekiti
treasury. EFCC has not also said that Ekiti money was stolen and that my
election was funded with Ekiti State money.”
Accusing the EFCC of carrying out the APC agenda to force him out of
office as was done in 2006, the governor said; “It is sad that some
politicians from Ekiti State now resume and close in EFCC offices in
Lagos and Abuja and we wonder whether those politicians have now taken
over the job of EFCC.”
He maintained that he will continue to speak his mind on issues affecting Nigerians and can never be cowed, saying;
“Nigerians are suffering. States can no longer pay workers salary, a
litre of kerosene is now N220, a bag of rice is now N20,000 and some
people will sit in Presidential Villa and expect that all of us should
keep silent? That’s not possible!
“No amount of media trial by agents of the Buhari-led APC government
will make me to stop baring my mind on the cluelessness of the Federal
Government.”