Fayose exposes plot by Buhari, APC to distabilise Ekiti with EFCC

Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose yesterday raised alarm over plot by Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) to use Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to distabilise the state.

Addressing newsmen at a press conference in Abuja, Fayose disclosed that there is a "new clandestine plot by the President Mohammadu Buhari led All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal Government to destabilise the Ekiti State Government, using the instrumentalities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)."


Revealing how the plot is being hatched, Fayose said, "a few days ago, we got it on good authority that there was a meeting with some politicians from Ekiti State, including an Ekiti born Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and self-professed human rights activist by agents of the Federal government, with the agenda solely, on how to bring down my administration as the governor of the state.

"Activities of these elements that are obviously afraid of facing another electoral defeat in 2018 are being coordinated through the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal and the Attorney General of the Federation. 

"Certain top functionaries of the Ekiti State government and some important members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, and some associates of mine, have now been pencilled down for arrest and indefinite detention by the EFCC under the guise of investigating the funds spent by the PDP on the June 21, 2014 governorship election and the Presidential election.

"The game plan is to make those to be arrested get detained indefinitely, forced to make statements incriminating me, while at the same time feeding the public with orchestrated fake reports, using their usual media organs.

"This is coming after their failure to use the Department of State Services (DSS) to coerce members of the State House of Assembly to buy into the impeachment plot against me with a view to silencing me being a major voice of the opposition."

The governor further revealed that "the plot to arrest and detain indefinitely my Chief of Staff, Chief Dipo Anisulowo and four honourable members of the state House of Assembly for treason.

"To achieve this sinister plot against the government and people of Ekiti State, we have been informed that some of their trusted allies in the EFCC have been mobilised to move to Ekiti any moment from now.

"I, however, wish to advice them to keep their gun power dry and should not be in a hurry, but rather, wait till the end of my tenure in 2018."

Fayose, however cautioned Buhari and APC government that the way they are muscling the opposition government is not the best way, adding that he will be available for questioning after the expiration of his tenure.

"While we are not afraid of persecution from anyone or government agency, including the EFCC and DSS, I wish to state that the level at which the Buhari-led federal government is taking political vendetta and muzzling of opposition both in the PDP and within the APC, is dangerous to the survival of democracy in the country.

"Most importantly, Nigerians must begin to ask the EFCC what has happened to the several petitions against APC leaders and financiers of President Buhari’s election, including former governors. 

"For instance, on September 29, 2014, the EFCC received a petition against former governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi and other APC top-shots in Ekiti State. In the petition written by a group; Save Ekiti Coalition, six major complaints bordering on fraudulent practices were made with various documents attached.

"Also, on March 11, 2016, a petition on the misappropriation of N852.9m fund belonging to the Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) was received by the ICPC. The petition, which had various documents attached was written by an Abuja based group; Vanguard for Credible Representation. 

One of the documents attached to this petition was Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) letter dated April 16, 2015, with Reference Number; UBEC/FA/SUBEB/EK/183/Vol.II/162 in which the withdrawal of the sum of N852, 936,713.92 counterpart fund belonging to the Ekiti SUBEB by Fayemi and others was described as a criminal act, that violated Section 11(2) of UBE Act 2004. It was also on the basis of this financial crime that UBEC suspended Ekiti State from accessing any further FGN-UBE Intervention Fund.

In another letter written on September 11, 2015, with Ref. No. PB/894/5, to the EFCC, which was acknowledge urging the commission to investigate all the various petitions submitted to it on the fraudulent acts perpetrated by the immediate past APC government in the State has not seen the light of the day but rather,  the EFCC is running after vocal opponents of the APC like me, Ayodele Fayose," he said.