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Tag: Fayose

  • Alleged N1.2bn laundering: EFCC presents 11th witness against Fayose

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday presented its 11th witness in a case of alleged money laundering it preferred against former Gov. Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti.

    The witness, Mr Sunday Alade, was the Akure Branch Manager of the Zenith Bank Plc. in 2014 when N1.2 billion was allegedly moved to the branch.

    The EFCC arraigned Fayose on an 11-count charge of money laundering on Oct. 22, 2018, alongside a company, Spotless Investment Ltd.

    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. On Jan. 21, 2018, the commission called its fifth witness, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, a former Minister of State for Defence.

    Led in evidence on Monday by EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Alade testified that he received a telephone call from the bank’s head of operations then, asking him to head to the Akure Airport to receive an amount of money from a customer.

    “On June 17, 2014, I was in my office when I received a call from my Head of Operations, Abiodun Oshodi, saying that a customer would be coming to make a deposit into his account with the bank.

    “He said in order to provide security, we should arrange for a bullion van to go to the airport to pick the cash.

    “After an hour, my Head of Operations, Abiodun Oshodi, came and said the customer had arrived. He introduced Abiodun Agbele as the customer.

    “He said we should prepare to go to the airport; I asked for time to arrange for security but they said that won’t be necessary as they had sufficient security. They came with MOPOL (mobile policemen) and some soldiers in a Hilux van,” Alade testified.

    The witness said that he accompanied Oshodi and Agbele to the airport, along with the bullion van and security men.

    Alade said: “At the airport, we waited for a few minutes before the arrival of the aircraft. Three individuals came out of the aircraft.

    “Two of them walked away. The remaining person introduced himself as O. Adewale.

    “The cash was offloaded into the bullion van, and we drove to Zenith Bank, Akure.”

    He testified that when they arrived at the bank, the money was counted in his presence, adding that Oshodi, Adewale and Agbele were also present.

    “The money was counted. It was N724 million. We were informed that there was a balance. We went back to the airport and picked N494 million.

    “The total cash amounted to N1.219 billion. Another aircraft brought the N494 million. I gathered that the cash was lodged into three bank accounts – those of De-Privateer, Spotless Investment and Ayodele Fayose.

    “I also understand some cash was taken away that day by Mr Agbele,” he told the court.

    When asked by the prosecution counsel, who Adewale was, the witness said, “Adewale O. introduced himself as Obanikoro’s ADC.”

    Asked if he knew those who walked away from the aircraft when it landed, the witness said, “One of them resembled Obanikoro. I never met him in person, but he resembled the person I saw on television and newspapers.”

    Under cross-examination by defence counsel, Mr Ola Olanipekun (SAN) and Olalekan Ojo (SAN), the witness said that he was not aware of where the money came from.

    On whther he knew what the money was meant for, the witness said, “Not at all.”

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun adjourned the case until May 10, for continuation of trial.

    According to the EFCC, on June 17, 2014, Fayose and one Agbele allegedly took possession of N1.2 billion for the purpose of funding his gubernatorial election campaign.

    The EFCC said that the defendants reasonably ought to have known that the sum formed part of crime proceeds.

    The anti-graft agency also accused Fayose of receiving a cash payment of five million dollars, (about N1.8 billion) from the then Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, without going through any financial institution and which sum exceeded the amount allowed by law.

    It also alleged that Fayose retained N300 million in his bank account and took control of about N622 million which he ought to have known was part of crime proceeds.

    The EFCC equally claimed that Fayose unlawfully used N1.6 billion to acquire property in Lagos and Abuja, adding that he used N200 million to acquire a property in Abuja in the name of his elder sister, Moji Oladeji, which sum also formed crime proceeds.

    The alleged offences contravene Sections 15(1), 15 (2), 15 (3), 16(2)(b), 16 (d), and 18 (c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011.

  • Fayose loses ward, polling unit to APC in Ekiti

    Mr Ayodele Fayose, former Governor Ekiti, has lost his ward and polling unit in Afao Ekiti to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Saturday’s house of assembly election.
    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC candidate, Hakeem Jamiu, polled 168 votes to defeat Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate, Sunday Omosilade, who garnered 26 votes.
    NAN reports Fayose voted at Unit 016 in St David’s Primary School, Afao Ekiti, Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.
    Fayose also lost his Afao/Araromi Ward where APC scored 648 votes to beat
    PDP which got 67 votes.
    The APC candidate said that the result was a victory for the people of the area and the party in general.
    He commended the electorate for the trust in him and promised to justify the confidence of the electorate.
    Jamiu said the time had come for all to come together and move the state forward in order to regain its lost glory.

  • Fayose’s aide, others dump PDP for APC

    Mr Ayodeji Adu, a Special Assistant on Local Government Affairs under the Ayo Fayose administration in Ekiti, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Adu, along with some PDP supporters in Afao Ekiti, announced their defection when the campaign train of the APC House of Assembly candidate in Irepodun/ Ifelodun State Constituency II, Hakeem Jamiu, arrived the community on Wednesday.

    The former governor’s aide, who spoke for the defectors, said they were captivated by Gov. Kayode Fayemi’s “sterling” leadership qualities in taking the decision.

    “This decision to dump PDP for APC was borne out of patriotism and it is for the betterment of my state and country home

    “Afao Ekiti, despite producing the governor of the state for eight years is still in shambles without meaningful development, hence the need to embrace the right ideas that can take the town out of the current economic and social despondency

    ” I pledge my commitment to the success of the APC candidate in Afao-Ekiti. I want to assure that the APC will have a block vote in the town come Saturday, ” he said.

    NAN reports that Jamiu assured the people of the state that the next assembly would not be a rubber stamp under the Fayemi administration.

    “Gov. Fayemi is exposed and I know that he will see the new legislative arm as partners in progress,’’ he said.

  • Presidential poll: Buhari’s victory is rape on Nigeria’s democracy – Fayose

    Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has hailed Nigerians for their courage to withstand what he called a rape on democracy.

    He described the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in last Saturday’s election as allegedly secured through “the barrel of the gun” and not worth celebrating by the winner.

    But the former governor did not state how.

    In a statement yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, the former governor said: “Rather than a word of congratulation (sic) to President Buhari, who will be leading our country against our wish as a nation, Nigerians are the ones who deserve to be praised for their courage.”

    He described the roles played by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies in the election as shameful.

    Reiterating his avowed commitment to the defence of the oppressed in the country, Fayose said: “As already known, I am not afraid of arrest and detention. I have been persecuted and still being persecuted because of my stand on national issues and I will remain undaunted.

    “Let me, therefore, commend Nigerians and tell them that they should not lose hope because help will come someday.”

  • I did not sign for cash collected from Dasuki for Fayose, Obanikoro tells Court

    I did not sign for cash collected from Dasuki for Fayose, Obanikoro tells Court

    The Federal High Court in Lagos Monday heard that there is no record of the N1.2billion and $5million which former Minister of State for defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, allegedly delivered to former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose.

    Testifying in Fayose’s trial for money laundering before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, Obanikoro, the fifth prosecution witness, said he did not sign for the money he received from former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).

    “I did not sign any records at the Office of the National Security Adviser for the monies that I collected,” he said.

    Obanikoro was cross-examined by defence counsel Kanu Agabi (SAN) (for Fayose) and Olalekan Ojo (SAN) (for Fayose’s company and co-accused Spotless Limited).

    The former minister agreed that he was also under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and that he was eventually made to return N200million out of the money he received from Dasuki.

    “I was investigated over funds disbursed through the ONSA. I was kept in EFCC custody for 21 days. I reluctantly returned the N200million cash. Some money was seized from an account related to me,” Obanikoro said.

    The witness explained how he came about using the account of Sylvan Mcnamara Limited to receive money from ONSA.

    He said Dasuki’s successor wrote a petition against him and the company alleging that they collected funds for which no contract was executed.

    “It was the NSA (Dasuki) that requested me to furnish the account. The request to furnish the account was made orally,” he said.

    Obanikoro said Dasuki told him that the account was for the purpose of transferring funds meant for the security of Lagos.

    “The account was for securing Lagos. I sourced the account from Taiwo Kareem. It remained his property. We came about the company (Sylvan Mcnamara) because they made a presentation to the ONSA and was found to have the capacity for securing Lagos,” he said.

    Asked if Sylvan Mcnamara was a security company, Obanikoro said he would not know until he saw the firm’s articles of incorporation.

    “That’s the purpose it was used for (securing Lagos). The decision to qualify Sylvan Mcnamara was that of the NSA. I introduced the company to NSA and the approval was given,” he said.

    Asked what the NSA had in mind when he asked him to source for the account, he said: “The NSA wanted to protect Lagos. I deserve a medal of honour for the protection of Lagos which we did successfully.”

    On why the account appeared to be shrouded in secrecy, Obanikoro said: “Clandestine security operations don’t work the way an average person wants it to work.”

    Obanikoro admitted that some funds were transferred from the account to Rehoboth Homes, such as N74million on May 31, 2014.

    He explained that Rehoboth Homes “must have been one of the vehicles to get the dollar content to Fayose”.

    Other sums, such as N5million, were also transferred to unknown persons from the account on at least three different times.

    Agabi said: “The reason they hide the identities of the recipients is because their job is evil.”

    Obanikoro responded: “I am not an evil doer sir. When a job is for society’s good, it cannot be characterised as evil. You do not keep records for some of these transactions.”

  • I inherited over N155.79b debt from Fayose – Fayemi

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has expressed concern over the state’s debt profile under the immediate past Ayodele Fayose administration.

    The governor said his predecessor left an humongous debt profile of N155,791,785,214 as at October 16, before he assumed office.

    Fayemi made the allegations in his “State of the State” address marking his administration’s first 100 days in office on the floor of the House of Assembly in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    He said the debt profile figures, which encompass the accounts of the state from October 2014 to last October, were arrived at after engaging the services of an external auditing firm, the Price WaterHouse Cooper, to thoroughly audit the state’s books.

    The breakdown of the debt profile, the governor said, included loan, N57,694 billion; salary arrears, N16,777 billion; outstanding leave bonus, N4,402 billion; outstanding (National Youth Service Corps) Corpers’ allowance, N28,883 million; outstanding subvention, N4,770 billion; pension and gratuity arrears, N39,775 billion and outstanding contractors claims, N28,575 billion.

    Others include outstanding furniture allowance, N470,266 million; outstanding severance allowance, N586,144 million; monetised vehicle arrears, N101,243 million; outstanding warrants, N386,777 billion; outstanding (Federal Inland Revenue Service) FIRS obligation, N184,215 million; traditional rulers’ arrears, N150,214 million; judgment debts, N95,048 million and other outstanding liabilities, N1,792 billion.

    Fayemi noted that though his administration had tried to distance itself from political witch- hunt and media trials, but “the fact that the present is the product of the past is incontrovertible”.
    He added: “We must examine our tortuous path with a view to charting a new path to economic recovery and value restoration.”

    Fayemi said his administration inherited a state that was in chaos and a people severely disoriented under a suppressive government that allegedly raised and promoted deceit into a stagecraft.

    “The last 100 days have clearly shown to us, in a very practical manner, that with clarity of vision, the resolve to push through and the unflinching support of the people, there are endless possibilities in our capacities to steer our state on the path of progress.

    “Despite the meagre resources at our disposal, we are meticulously delivering on our promises to the people through our various short, medium and long-term socio-economic intervention programmes.

    “We must examine our tortuous path with a view to charting a new course for a prosperous destination, not only for us but also for our unborn children,” he said.

     

  • Arms deal: Obanikoro testifies against Fayose, says he received $5m from Dasuki’s imprest

    Arms deal: Obanikoro testifies against Fayose, says he received $5m from Dasuki’s imprest

    A former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, on Monday told a Federal High Court that money was given to former Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State from the imprest account of a former National Security Adviser in June 2014.

    Obanikoro gave evidence in the trial of Fayose before Justice Mojisola Olaterogun in Lagos, where Fayose is facing charges of N6.9bn fraud.

    He was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on October 22, 2018, alongside a company, Spotless Investment Ltd. He faces 11 counts.

    He pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was granted bail in the sum of N50m, with one surety in like sum.

    The substantive trial began on November 19, 2018, with the EFCC calling four witnesses.

    On Monday, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) appeared for the EFCC, while Messrs Kanu Agabi (SAN) and Olalekan Ojo (SAN) represented the first and second accused respectively.

    Jacobs then called on Obanikoro, the fifth prosecution witness, to give evidence. The counsel led the former minister in evidence.

    Jacobs asked him where he was in 2014 and he told the court that he was the Minister of State for Defence. The counsel then asked him to tell the court what he knew about the case.

    The witness testified that in June 2014, when Ekiti State governorship election was near, he received a call from the accused (Fayose), enquiring from him (Obanikoro) if there was any “message” for him from the then National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki.

    The witness said that he told Fayose that there was none but promised to check with the NSA and give Fayose feedback.

    He told the court that eventually, the NSA confirmed to him that he had a “message” for the accused and that the funds would be made available.

    The prosecutor then showed the witness exhibit E to confirm if it was the account to which the funds were transferred, and the witness replied: “Yes.”

    The witness told the court that on June 13, 2014, and also on June 16, 2014, funds were posted into the account, adding that the funds were from the imprest account of the NSA.

    He said that he asked the accused how he wanted the money, and he told him that some amounts should be paid in Naira and others in dollars.

    According to him, the money was eventually brought in a bullion van to the private wing of the Ikeja Airport, where one Agbele, sent by the accused, was on standby. He testified that after confirmation from the accused, the money was taken to Ekiti State.

    The witness told the court that afterwards, he went to Ado-Ekiti to meet the accused in his hotel, known as Spotless, and gave him the dollar component which was $5m.

    The prosecution counsel asked Obanikoro how many days it was to the Ekiti governorship election when he gave Fayose the money. “About three days to the election,” the witness replied.

    The prosecution also asked the former minister the source of the money. “The NSA is the only person that can ascertain the source of the money; it was from the imprest account of the NSA,” he said.

    The counsel asked how the money was debited and the witness told the court that he gave instructions to the managing director of Diamond Bank, but was not available when the deductions were made.

    When asked his connection with the accounts, Obanikoro said that it was used for security purposes, adding that he would not want to divulge further information on that.

    After the evidence, the defence sought an adjournment to enable it to cross-examine the witness. After several objections and counter objections, the judge granted an adjournment until February 4 for cross-examination of Obanikoro.

    The EFCC said that, on June 17, 2014, Fayose and Agbele took possession of N1.2bn for funding his governorship election campaign.

    The Commission said that the accused reasonably ought to have known that the sum formed part of crime proceeds. It alleged that Fayose received a cash payment of $5m (about N1.8bn) from Obanikoro without going through any financial institution, noting that the sum exceeded the amount allowed by law.

    It also accused Fayose of retaining N300m in his Zenith Bank account and taking control of the aggregate sums of about N622m which sums, it said, formed part of crime proceeds.

    Fayose was also alleged to have procured De Privateer Ltd. and Still Earth Ltd., to retain in their Zenith and FCMB accounts the aggregate sums of N851m which formed part of crime proceeds.

    He was also accused of illegally using the aggregate sums of about N1.6bn to acquire properties in Lagos and Abuja.

    The accused was also alleged to have illegally used N200m to acquire a property in Abuja in the name of his elder sister, Moji Oladeji.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the alleged offences contravene Sections 15(1), 15 (2), 15 (3), 16(2)(b), 16 (d), and 18 (c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011.

  • Fayose’s political appointees dump PDP, defect massively to APC

    Fayose’s political appointees dump PDP, defect massively to APC

    Elected and appointed political office holders at the local government levels under the immediate past Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government led by Ayodele Fayose on Tuesday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The defectors numbering about 500 from across the 16 council areas of the state included political office holders during Fayose’s first and second terms in office.

    Kehinde Aduloju from Ado Local Government, who spoke on behalf of the defectors at the event which held at Government House Pavilion, said their decision defect to the APC from PDP was due to Governor Kayode Fayemi’s sterling leadership qualities.

    Aduloju regretted that the PDP did not really bring political dividends to them, “but empty promises under the immediate past administration”.

    The former PDP chieftain, who said the occasion marked the emptying of the PDP officially, added:
    “Today, bigwigs like Senator Raji Rasaki, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Hon Adeniran Alagbada, Gboyega Aribisogan, Sunday Akinniyi, and many others are in the APC. To us, the PDP had become an empty camp with a few relevant politicians to confront the APC.

    “We have nothing to fear in the APC because the way Prince Adeyeye was given the APC senatorial ticket a few days after defection shows that the APC remains a good party.”

    The Ekiti State House of Assembly Speaker, Adeniran Alagbada, who received the defectors on behalf of the APC leadership and Fayemi, assured them that they would not be discriminated against as the APC operates an open door policy, which places equality in ranks and opportunities between the old and new members.

    The Speaker assured them that all their outstanding severance allowances since 2003 would be paid in line with the promise made by Governor Fayemi, which he said was part of the reasons for the defection.

    Alagbada said: “I have spoken with Governor Fayemi, he had assured me that he would put smiles on your faces. You struggled hard under the PDP led government of Governor Fayose, but nothing was done.”

     

  • Fayemi lifts Fayose’s embargo on Ecobank, GTbank, Zenith Bank

    Two years after Former Governor Ayodele Fayose stopped Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) from patronising Zenith Bank, GT Bank and Ecobank, Governor Kayode Fayemi has lifted the embargo.

    Governor Fayemi announced the lifting of the embargo placed on the three banks by the administration of former Governor Ayodele Fayose.

    Recall that the Fayose-led administration in May 2016, placed a “non-patronage” ban on the three banks and forbade MDAs as well as workers from transacting business with them.

    But in a statement by his spokesman Olayinka Oyebode, the governor directed MDAs to resume transactions with the banks.

    Acting on the directive, the Office of the state’s Accountant-General has issued a memo to heads of MDAs to give effect to the governor’s directive lifting the ban.

    According to the statement, the embargo was lifted in a bid to rekindle and strengthen the relationship between the affected banks and the state government.

    The statement reads: “The government took the decision after a careful review of the developments that led to the purported embargo by the immediate past administration.

    “The Fayemi administration is committed to the infrastructural and industrial development of the state.

    “In achieving this, it will create a conducive atmosphere for business to thrive in the state by partnering with the private sector and encouraging private initiatives, among others.”

     

  • Fayose reacts as Buhari withdraws assent to Electoral Amendment Bill

    Fayose reacts as Buhari withdraws assent to Electoral Amendment Bill

    The immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, on Friday, reacted to President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal to sign the Electoral Bill.

    Buhari had for the third time withheld his assent to the bill.

    This was disclosed by the President’s Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang.

    Addressing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Enang refused to state Buhari’s reasons.

    Enang disclosed that the bill was returned to the National Assembly.

    Reacting to Buhari’s decision to withheld his assent, Fayose wondered if the interest of an individual could be placed above that of Nigerians.

    In a tweet, Fayose wrote: “What is President Buhari’s fear concerning this Electoral Bill? Can the interest of a single individual be placed above that of Nigeria and its people?

    “Is he saying that even his party members in the NASS were wrong to have passed the Electoral Bill? May God save our country.”