The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has asked Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State to come to the commission’s headquarters on September 20, 2018 for questioning instead of waiting till his immunity lapses on October 16. The letter was in response to an earlier letter written by Fayose wherein the governor informed the EFCC of his willingness to appear before the anti-graft agency immediately after his tenure expires on October 16.
However, in a letter with reference number, ‘EFCC/EC/GC/31/2173 dated September 1, 2018, and signed by the EFCC’s Director of Operations, Umar Mohammed, the anti-graft agency urged the governor to feel free to come to the EFCC even before the expiration of his tenure.
While praising Fayose for his forthrightness and willingness to cooperate with the anti-graft agency, the commission promised the governor that his immunity would not be undermined.
The letter read in part, “I appreciate your sense of duty and responsibility as a law-abiding citizen who wishes to submit himself voluntarily to the due process of the law, more so as your immunity as a governor shall come to an end.
“In view of the above and your request to make yourself available on Tuesday, October 16, 2018 to make clarifications on ongoing investigations that affect you, we look forward to receiving you even earlier than October 16, 2018.
“In this regard, we shall be willing to receive you on Thursday, September 20, 2018 without prejudice to your immunity under Section 308 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
“Please accept the assurances of the acting chairman’s highest regards.”
Fayose is currently under investigation for allegedly receiving over N1.219bn from a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, during the build-up to the 2014 governorship election which Fayose won.
Already the EFCC has arraigned in court a trusted aide to Fayose, Abiodun Agbele, who allegedly transported the money from the airport to the bank.
The commission has since seized over four properties from Fayose including two in upscale Maitama, Abuja and others in Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
