Ekitians protest alleged ‘kleptocracy’ in Ekiti

Allegations against Fayose baseless, says government

Business activities were yesterday temporarily halted in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, by protesters who demanded the impeachment of Governor Ayodele Fayose over alleged looting of the state treasury and being a beneficiary of the N4.2 billion fire-arms scam deal.

The protesters, who called for judicial interpretation of immunity and impunity, said: “Immunity has become impunity in Ekiti State where kleptocracy is the order of the day.”

The protesters, comprising members of All Progressives Congress (APC), Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) and other anti-Fayose groups, expressed support for the anti-corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari and urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to also beam its searchlight on the Internally-Generated Revenues (IGR) of the states.

But reacting to the protest, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, described the allegations against Fayose as baseless, noting that “even the EFCC has not accused the governor of tampering with Ekiti money.”

He, therefore, advised the APC and other anti-Fayose groups to wait till 2018 when the governor will willingly submit himself to the EFCC.

The placard-carrying protesters, who marched from Fajuyi Park through Okeyinmi and stopped at Ijigbo area where they were addressed by leaders of each group, chanted anti-Fayose’s songs to deride the way the governor had allegedly been looting the state, especially his alleged indictment in the N1.2 billion arms fund, alleged collection of kick-back from contractors handling various projects in the state to buy multi-billion naira property in Lagos and Abuja.

They, therefore, described the action of the EFCC freezing Fayose’s accounts in Zenith Bank Plc “as a right step.”

The APC Acting Chairman in the state, Mrs. Kemi Olaleye, expressed regret on how the immunity conferred on Governor Fayose in line with Section 308 of the Constitution had been impeding his prosecution for alleged embezzlement of funds.

Also, a statement presented by the CNPP Chairman in the state, Mr. Tunji Ogunlola, challenged Fayose to waive his immunity and face prosecution over alleged involvement in N4.7 billion arms deal alongside former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro and PDP governorship candidate in Osun State in the last polls, Mr. Iyiola Omisore.

In the same vein, a student representative, Mr. Samuel Olaoluwa, commended the EFCC for coming up with a comprehensive data of how Fayose allegedly looted Ekiti State, saying nothing must be spared to ensure that all the monies are recovered and culprits prosecuted for the state to move forward.

“We must join the anti-graft agency in the battle against corruption that is killing Ekiti State. We should stop
politicising issues of graft because it affects every facet of the country. We must stop this act of impunity and return Ekiti State to the path of honour, glory and sanity”, he said.

Adelusi further said: “The APC protesters asking Fayose to wave his immunity are doing so out of ignorance and desperation to win the state in 2018 knowing that their aim can only be achieved if Fayose is out of the way. But it is a failed agenda abinitio because we are ever ready for them on daily basis like soldiers guarding the entrance of military formation.

“They should know that this is 2016 and not 2006. Their whole agenda is about 2018 and their game plans are what we are now seeing using the EFCC to ‎concoct lies and using the media to disparage Governor Fayose, but they can’t go far.

“Till now, even the EFCC has not accused Fayose of stealing Ekiti money and if it is concocting one, we shall meet in the court at the appropriate time.”

“As far as we know, no amount of harassment or intimidation or character assassination will make members of Ekiti State House of Assembly succumb to pressures to go against the governor.”