Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has made good his threat to sue the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for placing him on its watch list.
The anti-graft agency wrote an advisory to key security agencies, demanding that Fayose be arrested if he attempts to flee the country through land, sea and air borders to escape justice.
Fayose, on September 3, threatened to sue the EFCC if it failed to withdraw the advisory within 72 hours.
The governor said the action “not only breached his constitutional immunity, it also exposed him to public opium and ridicule”.
He also demanded the publication of a written apology to all security agencies in Nigeria, three national newspapers and the social media.
It was gathered yesterday that Fayose, through his counsel, Mr. Obafemi Adewale, filed the suit last Friday, following the failure of the EFCC to meet the governor’s demands.
The EFCC, through its official twitter handle @officialEFCC on July 16, tweeted: “The parri is over, the cloak of immunity is torn apart and the staff broken, Ekiti Integrated Poultry/Biological Concepts Limited N1.3 billion fraud case file dusted off the shelves. See you soon.”
Fayose is seeking, among other things, an order of the court mandating the EFCC to pay N20 billion as general damages to him for what he called “flagrant, deliberate, pre-meditated and reckless libel and unprovoked attack on his character and reputation and the breach of his constitutional right/immunity as an incumbent governor”.
He demanded that the EFCC should tender a written apology, which should be circulated to all security agencies in Nigeria and same should be published in at least three widely read national newspapers and through the social media.
The governor is also seeking a declaration that the statements contained in the EFCC letter, dated September 12, and addressed to all security agencies in Nigeria, portrayed him as a criminal, a fugitive and a run-away from the law.
According to him, the statements are not true, but are malicious and unfair.
Fayose urged the court to further declare “that the EFCC’s letter placing him on a watch list and directing his arrest on sight, even while a sitting governor, is unconstitutional, as same offends the clear provision of Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which clothes him with immunity against arrest and prosecution as an incumbent governor”
Tag: Fayose
-
Five days to handover, Fayose sues EFCC for placing him on security watch list
-
Alleged corruption: EFCC sets up special team to investigate Fayose as tenure expires on Monday
Indications emerged on Tuesday that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has set up a special team to interrogate Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State next week.
Recall that Fayose, who has been governor since October 16, 2014, will lose his immunity at exactly 11.59pm on October 15, 2018, thereby giving the EFCC the constitutional right to arrest, detain and prosecute him.
The governor is expected to report at the EFCC head office in Abuja to meet with the commission’s Director of Operations, Umar Mohammed, after which he will be grilled by a team of operatives.
Fayose is under investigation for allegedly receiving over N1.2bn from a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), through a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.
The money was allegedly handed over to Fayose during the build-up to the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State.
Fayose’s aide, Abiodun Agbele, and others had been arraigned by the EFCC but Fayose was excluded because of his immunity.
A source within the EFCC said, “We are expecting Fayose to show up at our office next week. He has nowhere to run to since he is under security watch and cannot leave the country through any land border, seaport or airport.
“We have also set up a special team of investigators that will interrogate him immediately after the expiration of his tenure.”
The governor is expected to be arraigned after investigations.
Apart from the alleged N1.2bn fraud, Fayose is also under probe for alleged contract fraud.
Speaking with one of our correspondents on Tuesday, a spokesman for Fayose, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, said his principal was ready for the EFCC.
Adelusi noted that the governor had written a letter to the EFCC indicating his readiness to appear before the commission next week.
He said, “Governor Fayose is an honourable man. He will not run away. He has already stated that he will make himself available next Monday once his tenure expires. He made this clear in a letter recently. Even when he was not under immunity, the governor honoured the EFCC invitations.
“The EFCC is not a court of law and cannot declare a person guilty. The governor will be available next week, no doubt.”
Meanwhile, Fayose has filed a N20bn suit against the EFCC for placing him on watch list and directing security agencies to arrest him, if he attempts to travel out of the country.
He said the directive against him despite being a sitting governor breached his constitutional immunity and exposed him to public opium and ridicule.
Fayose had in a September 3, 2018 letter by his counsel, Obafemi Adewale, given the EFCC 72 hours to withdraw the request/directive to security agencies and publish a written apology in three national newspapers and the social media.
A statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said the suit was consequent upon the EFCC’s failure to accede to his demands as contained in the letter.
Recall that EFCC had tweeted on July 16, 2018 through its official twitter handle @officialEFCC concerning Governor Fayose that, “The parri (party) is over, the cloak of immunity is torn apart and the staff broken, Ekiti Integrated Poultry/Biological Concepts Limited N1.3bn fraud case file dusted off the shelves. See you soon.”
In the suit, Fayose demanded among other things; an order of the court mandating the EFCC to pay the sum of N20bn as general damages to what he called “flagrant, deliberate, pre-meditated and reckless libel and unprovoked attack on his character and reputation and the breach of his constitutional right/immunity as an incumbent governor.”
He asked the EFCC to tender a written apology, which should be circulated to all security agencies in Nigeria and that same should be published in at least three widely read national newspapers and the social media.
The governor also sought a declaration that the statements contained in the EFCC’s letter of September 12, 2018, and addressed to all security agencies n Nigeria portrayed him as a criminal, a fugitive and a run-away from the law, and that the statements were not true, were malicious, and not fair.
He asked the court to further declare “that the EFCC’s letter placing him on watch list and directing his arrest on sight even while a sitting governor is unconstitutional as same offends the clear provision of Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) which clothes him with immunity against arrest and prosecution as an incumbent governor.”
“That the tweet by the defendant (the EFCC) through its official twitter handle, which was widely circulated through social media and published in Punch Newspaper (online) of 16th July, 2018, with the particular wordings pleaded in the statement of claim filed along with this Writ is not true, is malicious, is not a fair statement and presents the plaintiff as a fraudster thereby ridiculing him and reducing him in the eyes of reasonable and right-thinking members of the society.”
-
APC to Fayose: You are not wanted in our party
The Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC), has advised outgoing Governor Ayo Fayos to look elsewhere for political sanctuary, should he jump out of the PDP.
Chief Paul Omotoso, Chairman of the party in the state, gave the advice in a statement on Tuesday in Ado Ekiti.
“Fayose should not think of moving from PDP to APC until he clears himself of several criminal cases hanging on his neck,” Omotoso stated.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Omotoso was reacting to reports quoting Fayose as threatening to leave the PDP.
Fayose had threatened to leave the PDP in protest over the outcome of the party’s primary election which gave former Vice President Atiku Abubakar the PDP presidential ticket over Fayose’s choice, Aminu Tambuwal, the Sokoto State governor.
Tambuwal came second with 693 votes, conceding the ticket to Abubakar, who scored 1,532 votes at the National Convention held on Saturday in Port Harcourt. 12 aspirants battled for the ticket.
Omotoso, in his reaction to Fayose’s outburst, advised him to conclude his court cases before contemplating to join APC.
“We want to tell the world that the APC will not provide sanctuary for criminal suspects, political prostitutes and lepers.
“We will never admit such character to this party and we advise Fayose to play his `politics of destruction’ somewhere else.
“Fayose’s prosecution on the alleged poultry project fraud resumes on November 4, 2018.
“Fayose cannot turn Ekiti APC to a haven and sanctuary for criminal suspects. He should forget any plan to smear Ekiti APC with criminal records
“APC is a political party bounded by common ideals of integrity, openness, discipline and commitment to common goals of progressive governance; Fayose does not possess or believe in these attributes as can be seen from his style of politics and governance
“Fayose, over the years, abused, disrespected and openly denigrated President Muhammadu Buhari, the leader of our party who is also the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
“Fayose is coming to destroy our party and ensure President Buhari does not get a second term in 2019. We won’t allow Fayose’s evil plan to materialise”, he said.
Omotoso warned all ward chairmen, where Fayose lives and runs his businesses, against accepting him into the party.
“Our party is not a sanctuary for criminal suspects, political lepers and serial destroyers of the parties they once belonged to.
“No ward chairman should open talks with Fayose until such ward chairman clears with the party leadership at the state level,” he stated
Efforts to obtain Fayose’s reaction to the APC’s stance proved abortive as his lines could not be reached while his aides refused to respond to the APC statement.
NAN -
Fayose threatens to dump PDP over emergence of Atiku as presidential candidate
Outgoing Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose on Friday threatened to quit the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over the outcome of the national convention.
He is believed to be unhappy with the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the PDP presidential flag bearer at the primary held at Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Fayose, who is the Chairman of the PDP Governor’s Forum, supported Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal at the national convention.
The Ekiti helmsman alongside his Rivers State counterpart Nyesom Wike rallied support for Tambuwal at the national convention.
Fayose, in a six-paragraph statement sent to reporters on Monday said he would continue with consultations and watch how events unfold in the umbrella party.
The statement which the governor personally signed was entitled: “Re: PDP National Convention.”
The statement read: “We have no regret aligning with Governor Wike to support Governor Tambuwal for the presidential ticket and no apologies either.
“We kept the party alive and strong when most men became ladies. We never compromised. If any group feels it can do it alone, we will see how far they can go.
“I may renounce my membership of the party if the need arises.
“In the main time, myself and others will continue with our consultations while watching the turn of event.
“We cannot but appreciate leaders that have intervened so far, but this release became necessary to avoid fresh crisis or misrepresentation.”
It remained unclear why Fayose wants to quit his beloved party as he gave no cogent reason in the statement.
Fayose had earlier declared interest in the Presidency but later withdrew before the official sale of nomination and expression of interest forms.
He was also said to be considered as the party’s presidential running at a time but the loss to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the July 14 governorship poll has put a dent on the ambition.
Fayose joined the PDP before the 2003 governorship poll which he won but had been in and out of the party at various times.
His supporters joined All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), Progressives People’s Alliance (PPA) after his impeachment from office while he had a working agreement with the Action Congress (AC) in the 2009 governorship rerun election.
Fayose defected to the Labour Party (LP) in 2010 and ran as the Ekiti Central senatorial candidate in the 2011 general elections but lost to Senator Babafemi Ojudu.
He returned to the PDP in 2012 and ran again as its candidate in the 2014 governorship poll which he won.
Fayose, at various times, had boasted that he would never leave PDP but his latest threat to quit has been causing ripples since it broke Monday evening.
Recall that a former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, was declared the winner of the party’s presidential primary, defeating the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, Senate President Bukola Saraki, and eight others.
Fayose’s second term as governor of Ekiti State expires on October 16, 2018.
Details later… -
BREAKING: Fayose speaks of dumping PDP 24 hours after convention
The outgoing Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has threatened to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after the National Convention held on Saturday in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.
According to a report by The Punch, the governor hinted on Monday that he would renounce his “membership of the PDP anytime from now.”
He added, “After consultations, I will speak clearly to Nigerians.”
Recall that a former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, was declared the winner of the party’s presidential primary, defeating the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, Senate President Bukola Saraki, and eight others.
Fayose’s second term as governor of Ekiti State expires on October 16, 2018.
Details later… -
Don’t victimise Fayose after leaving office, PDP warns Buhari, APC
The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West zone on Monday called on President Muhammadu Buhari and security agencies not to victimise Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, after the expiration of his term as the state governor in a few weeks.
Recall that Governor Fayose’s tenure expires on October 16.In a communiqué issued at the end of the party’s stakeholders meeting in Ibadan, the PDP also condemned the role of the Federal Government and the Independent National Electoral Commission in the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.
At the meeting were Chief Olabode George; the national vice chairman (South-West), Eddy Olafeso; Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Olusola Eleka; Deputy Publicity Secretary of the party, Diran Odeyemi; and the Zonal Secretary, Bunmi Jenyo.
The communiqué read, “We take with a serious view the recent Osun State governorship election, and note sadly that it was grossly compromised, neither free nor fair but an outright stealing of PDP’s victory as given freely by the people of the state to our candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke. We declare our disappointment in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for his inability to preside over a nation where votes must count.
“We also give due cognisance to the earlier conducted Ekiti State election and the serious assault and battery of the state governor, Ayodele Fayose, the conduct of the election itself, the massive vote-buying that characterised it, the vote stealing and compromised posture of INEC, hence, reject the election result as it does not represent the electoral desire of the people.
“Therefore, we support our candidates in the two aforementioned elections in Osun and Ekiti states to take concrete legal actions to recover their mandates from the roguish APC that is now becoming notorious for election rigging.
“We also note that Governor Fayose’s tenure comes to an end in a couple of weeks from now. Therefore, we wish him well in his future endeavours. We, however, observe that the Buhari administration has clearly indicated its desire to intimidate and harass him. This attitude is cheap and very pedestrian. We declare our solidarity with Governor Fayose and promise to stand firm in his support in the event of the prosecution of petty vendetta against his person.”
-
NBC to sanction Ondo TV over hate speech against Fayose
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) says it will sanction the Ondo State Television Service (OSTS) for broadcasting hate speech against Ekiti State Gov. Ayodele Fayose during the governorship elections in the state.
The Director-General of the commission, Mr Ishaq Modibbo-Kawu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ilorin that NBC would not tolerate impunity as the 2019 general elections approached.
He assured that the commission would be neutral and apolitical in the discharge of its statutory duties including the enforcement of the National Broadcasting Code.
“From the Ekiti elections, one interesting thing played out.
“We discovered that in a neighbouring state, Ondo, a broadcast station there, the Ondo State Television Service, was broadcasting hate speech against Ekiti Governor, Ayodele Fayose
“For us in NBC this is against the national broadcasting code and we are going to be sanctioning that particular station.
“We do not pick and choose which station to sanction. We monitor all radio and TV broadcasting stations in the country, and when you flout the code you are going to be sanctioned.
“On a quarterly basis, we will bring out the list of those we had sanctioned and the reasons, and post it in our website and distribute to media houses,” he said.
Modibbo-Kawu said the commission recently studied the contents of live broadcast of political rallies and discovered that politicians from both the ruling party and the oppositions were guilty of hate speech.
He said broadcast stations would, henceforth, be held liable for such infractions against their practice code.
“Politicians tend to just say anything on air, they demonise the opponents, they profile them and say the most horrendous things.
“The political parties are not our licensees, so we cannot hold them liable. However, the TV stations that broadcast the rally live has an obligation.
“We are issuing the report on the studies to the government, political parties and broadcast houses that if you broadcast live materials that flout the national broadcasting code, you are going to be held liable.
“They have to get their acts together and begin to discuss with the people who come to pay heavy sum of money to do live broadcast, that there are certain things you cannot say,” he said.
The director-general said ahead of the 2019 general elections the NBC had become particularly visible, sensitising its licensees to their responsibilities to the nation and the need to respect regulatory code.
“For instance, elections are coming very soon in Osun state. Two weeks ago, we were in the state, met the stakeholders – all the broadcast stations, political parties and security forces.
“We held a one-day workshop to emphasise the importance of adherence to the code.
“We have a responsibility to our country, to help to use broadcasting to assist the Nigerian people to make informed choices among the different political parties.
“But, we should not use broadcasting to cause confusion in our country. One of my pet phrases is that we must first have a country, before we have broadcasting,’’ said Modibbo-Kawu.
The director-general recalled that in the lead to the Ekiti state governorship election, the commission ended up sanctioning a couple of stations especially the state owned broadcast stations there.
“We were forced by the circumstances of the actions taken there to close the Ekiti Broadcasting Services (EBS).
“First of all, the state government had appointed the DG of the EBS as the DG of Campaign of one of the political parties.
“The appointment was not in consonance with the objectives of the NBC, so we wrote a letter to the broadcaster and the governor of the state, but they ignored us.
“Secondly, when President Muhammadu Buhari visited the state, the governor made a broadcast that the people should not turn out to receive the president.
“This was beyond politics, so we sanction the station,” he said.
“Soon after the elections, before INEC announced the results, the state governor went to radio and television to begin to announce his own results.
“We felt that was the point we had to act and we closed another station”.
Modibbo-Kawu said NBC also closed down a station which was on test transmission, but engaged in political broadcasting against the national broadcasting code.
NAN
-
l’ll complete, deliver all ongoing projects before leaving office – Fayose
Gov. Ayodele Fayose said on Tuesday said that all the ongoing capital projects will be completed and inaugurated before vacating office on Oct. 16.
The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the governor, made the promise while speaking at 2018 edition of the Annual Udiroko Festival in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.
The governor said he had resolved to complete all ongoing projects in consonance with his promise while being sworn-in for a second term in office not to abandon any project embarked upon.
According to him, his critics who were allegedly saying he embarked on employment of new hands into the state public service at the tail end of his tenure should also have asked him not to continue with projects he started.
He listed the capital projects so far completed and ongoing to include the One-Kilometre overhead bridge in Ado Ekiti, the new state High Court complex, the new Governor’s office and the new Ministry of Finance complex.
He listed others to include the new Ultra-Modern Kings Market in Ado Ekiti and the Amphi Theatre, the Banquet Hall at the Ewi’s palace and the dualization of virtually all the 16 Local Goverment Headquarters among others.
NAN reports that he had, at about 3:00p.m arrived the venue into the waiting hands of cheering crowd of residents singing his praises.
Fayose said there was no known law in the country that says a sitting governor must stop performing the functions attached to his office once his party his preparing to wind down or have election decided agaist it.
He told the gathering that the about 200- lock up shops at the new Kings market would be shared to willing traders before the end of the week.
He pledged that those traders initially displaced as a result of the fire incident that razed the old market would be given preferential treatment.
NAN reports that the governor appreciated the people of Ado Ekiti for standing by his party during the last governorship poll, regretting, however, that certain forces allegedly did not allow their votes to count.
He assured them that the ruling party in the state led him would use all normal and legal means to reclaim the stolen mandate.
In his response, the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe thanked the governor for what he termed as “sudden turn around” of the state capital, saying close to 80 per cent of the projects carried out by Fayose during his second term in office were concentrated in Ado Ekiti, thereby making his reign memorable.
Also speaking, legal luminary and founder of Afe Babalola Universiyy, Chief Afe Babalola, who is also a leading son of the ancient city, expressed delight at the volume of the people that trooped out to celebrate the festival.
Earlier in a welcome address, the Chairman , National Caretaker Committee of the Ado Ekiti Progressive Union, Chief Bayo Ogunmodimu said the Udiroko Festival marked the begininig of another traditional year for the sons and daughters of Ado Ekiti.
He said that it was also being used as a rallying point and unifying factor for all age groups and all local associations and clubs in the town.
He thanked the state government for the modern strucures erected in the palace and wished the outgoing governor well in his future endeavours.
NAN
-
2019: Like Fayose, you will soon be politically irrelevant – Group tells Tambuwal
…warns Governor against further attacks on President Buhari
The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has faulted the recent comments by Sokoto State Gov. Aminu Tambuwal against President Muhammadu Buhari, describing such as unfortunate, ill-conceived and a total assault on African cultural values.
The Chairman and the Secretary of the group, Messrs Niyi Akinsiju and Cassidy Madueke, respectively, said this in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.
The BMO said that Tambuwal had in recent time engaged in deliberate campaign of calumny against the President and warned that the governor was on a road to perdition just like Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State in 2015.
“This infamous style of politics belonged in the past and it is necessary to remind Tambuwal that it is not African tradition for young people to insult their elders and such negative attitude usually had its consequences.
“We also advise Governor Tambuwal to draw a lesson from what happened to Ayo Fayose in the last Ekiti governorship election, as he was roundly rejected by the electorate due to his non-performance and unguarded utterances.
“We also want to assure Tambuwal that his case will not be different from that of Ayo Fayose, as he will not only be rejected as the next governor of Sokoto state, but his presidential ambition will remain a pipe-dream.
“As he has not only denied his people development but has wasted the scarce resources he ordinarily should have used to render service to the good people of Sokoto state,” the statement read in part.
The group predicted that Tambuwal would definitely go into political oblivion in 2019 as he was already running against the tide.
The organisation also reminded Tambuwal that Buhari’s integrity and track record were clear for everyone to see, and this was the reason for their continued support for him and those he supported in elections.
According to the BMO, the support also manifested in the recent by-elections in Bauchi, Kogi and Katsina states where the All Progressives Congress (APC) trounced all their opponents including Tambuwal’s PDP.
The group expressed optimism that Buhari would win the next presidential election with a landslide -
Fayemi knocks Fayose for allegedly recruiting 2,000 new workers two months to handover
Ekiti State Governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has condemned alleged massive recruitment of workers by Governor Ayo Fayose less than two months before leaving office.
Fayemi said “the last-minute employment of workers” was a booby trap to make life difficult for the incoming administration.
Fayose is expected to make way for Fayemi on October 16 when the governor-elect will be sworn in.
A statement on Thursday by the Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wole Olujobi, claimed that Fayose had just employed 600 teachers into the Teaching Service Commission, 400 staff into the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and 1,000 into the Ministry of Establishment.
The governor-elect berated Fayose for embarking on a last minute mass recruitment to deceive the unsuspecting victims and set a booby-trap for the incoming administration.
Noting that Fayose was deliberately creating obstacles for the new administration having not employed one person in nearly four years, the statement wondered why the governor embarked on mass recruitment in the last few days to the end of his term.
According to him, Fayose was playing on the intelligence of the people to paint a picture of a man of the masses in clear infraction on the law.
He said: “It is a grand deception and sheer wickedness for a governor that has refused to pay workers and pensioners for between six and 10 months to now turn around to recruit about 2,000 workers in a selective manner to favour his supporters only.”
Olujobi described Fayose’s recruitment as an act of desperation by a governor who never cared for the people but would always take advantage of them in a most dehumanising manner.
“Once again, we call on Ekiti people as we did in our recent press release to be wary of Fayose’s last minute illegal deals, transactions and mass recruitment which do not follow due process.
“Any transaction so done shall be reviewed by the incoming administration.”