It’s a distraction–APC
The governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose has written to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission notifying the agency of his decision to make himself available before it on October 16.
Fayose who was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) serves out his four-year tenure on October 16 and hands over to the governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In the letter dated September 10, 2018 and addressed to the chairman of the EFCC, the governor said he would appear before the agency “to clarify issue(s) or answer questions on issues within my knowledge.”
Fayose who personally signed the letter entitled ‘Notification of my decision to make myself available in your office to clarify issue(s) or answer questions on issues within my knowledge’, said his desire to submit himself to the commission was hinged “on several and serial actions of your commission for some time now, including but not limited to freezing of my accounts and attempts to secure temporary forfeiture of my properties.”
He said the commission’s actions are indicative of its desire “to have me clarify some issues or answer some questions but for the immunity I enjoy under Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution as the sitting governor of Ekiti State.”
“I wish to inform you that my term of office pursuant to which I enjoy immunity against investigation and prosecution under the above provision shall lapse by effusion of time on October 15, 2018.
“As a responsible citizen of our great country, who believes in the rule of law, I wish to inform you of my decision to make myself available in your office on Tuesday, October 16, 2018 at 1p.m. to clarify issues or answer questions within my knowledge.
“Kindly confirm the suitability of the above date or indicate by return, the commission’s convenient date,” he stated in the letter.
Meanwhile, the APC in Ekiti described Fayose’s offer to voluntarily surrender himself to the EFCC on the day he would be vacating office as “suspicious and diversionary.”
NAN quotes the spokesman for APC in Ekiti State, Mr. Taiwo Olatunbosun as saying that Fayose was planning to seek safe landing to enable him run away from the country.
He questioned the rationale behind Fayose’s request for the approval of N10 billion extra budget by the state House of Assembly less than one month to the expiration of his tenure.
“This will certainly be at the expense of the welfare of the pensioners and workers who he will be abandoning in a state of penury and frustration due to months of unpaid salaries
“Fayose and his cronies are recklessly looting the state treasury and they are smiling home with billions of naira at the expense of Ekiti tax payers,” he said.
The party, which described Fayose’s readiness to appear before the EFCC as a welcome development, however, warned that this may be a decoy “knowing Fayose is full of pranks and capable of playing tricks on the EFCC and other security agencies.’’
“The letter to the EFCC can be used by Fayose as a distraction and diversionary tactic to pave way for his escape from the country, thereby running away from justice.
“Fayose’s promise to appear before the anti-graft agency on the handover day sounds too good to be true and highly suspicious.
”We therefore recommend that he be put under serious close surveillance since he is morally and duty bound to account for many of his recklessly corrupt practices that have made him billions of state money richer than the state itself
“No matter how smart Fayose thinks he is and no matter how fast he thinks he can run, the long arm of the law must catch up with him to refund our collective wealth and money for the benefit of all in our dear state, Ekiti,” Olatunbosun added.
