Kamarudeen Ogundele, Eniola Akinkuotu and Enyioha Opara

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has set up a special team to interrogate Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State next week, The PUNCH can confirm.

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.”

https://punchng.com/efcc-sets-up-special-team-to-grill-fayose-over-corruption-charges/

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Fayose! Why do you opened your mouth like that? Were you surprised for this?

the efcc should also set a panel to investigate okoroawusa, that man looted billions in imo state, he must not go free at all

Good one for democracy.

That APC gov that was caught on video should be waiting for same treatment even Buhari's Cabal.

Kingosytex:
the efcc should also set a panel to investigate okoroawusa, that man looted billions in imo state, he must not go free at all

Okay. Noted

Now he will be shown who is the boss.

FAYOSE will soon know that, tea is made up of water

The Efcc has already bungled this case. Even a small lawyer can win this case against Efcc. How can you declare one guilty before verdict. Fayose will only be laughing at them. People managing affairs at Efcc are so daft. Election is around the corner, fayose victimisation will work against Apc. Let them continue.

Hmmmmmm!!!!
Time to sacrifice some scape goats.
EFCC looking to score some goals for Buhari 2019!

Make una finish DASUKI own first na!

We still can’t find Nnamdi Kanu!

USSSSSELESS EFCC!

obibolamusa:
Good one for democracy.

That APC gov that was caught on video should be waiting for same treatment even Buhari's Cabal.

The $$$$$ found in the IKOYI building nko?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2017/04/13/africa/efcc-recovers-funds-nigeria/index.html

In February, the minister of information, Lai Muhammad, said the policy has led to the recovery of over $180 billion.

Fayose. Brace up. Saraki survived. You will

Dem just dey give Fayose emotional torture.


It is now Fayose will sit back and contemplate that "was I the only opposition governor in Nigeria, yet I was the only state chief executive that made Buhari his only topic of governance?".

The only state governor in all of Nigeria who is not from the SouthEast, yet came to identify with a terrorist Nnamdi Kanu in court.

The only state governor who broke diplomatic protocol and federal superiority and sovereignty, by writing to the Chinese government not to give loans to the constitutional government of Nigeria.

The only state governor who turned to the spokesman of PDP, when other PDP governors were busy developing their respective states and keeping a cordial working relationship with the federal government.

He did all of these despite knowing he has many corruption cases and audio recorded electoral fraud hanging on his neck.

Now his only hope of getting a ticket as a VP candidate of PDP, to use as his defence and protection against legal prosecution with the claims of political witch-hunt against a major opposition candidate in the president election, has now failed to workout as planned.


Sadly, those he was amusing like a clowning entertainer did not even wait a day's benefit of doubt before starting to call him the opposite of the names and accolades they once showered on him.

Oshokomale is now Oshofonkale!

smiles

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But the EFCC lost their sense when it came to the abba kyari case abi?
What is the update?

The mumu efcc could not investigate 99% of the power drunk camels we have governing us

But yet they decide to become a rabies infected dog on a leash held by APC led government.

Fayose is most likely guilty and I am in no way behind him Infact he should face the law but...

The law should cover all with equal rights and justice in a sane country...

Unfortunately if the head of a country is mad... We can as well say the country is mad!

donttouchme:
The Efcc has already bungled this case. Even a small lawyer can win this case against Efcc. How can you declare one guilty before verdict. Fayose will only be laughing at them. People managing affairs at Efcc are so daft. Election is around the corner, fayose victimisation will work against Apc. Let them continue.

what nonsense are you puking?

in all and every case the EFCC goes after you because they think you are guilty.

the person to be investigated believe that they are innocent.

it is the judges that decide who is really guilty or not.

EFCC wouldn't be going after him if they do not think he is guilty.

Fayose is PDP

He's corrupt obviously....

The guy go shiiiiiit for pant

No one is above the law

Ok

Good... let him face the penalty .
But let's all not forget Babachir,Obanikoro,Akala ...to mention a few,this are some APC Members who have cases with EFCC....
Nothing can be as petty as this EFCC under Buhari...
DSS.
NPF.
I'm not supporting corruption,but if only one thief is being tried while other wine and Dine with Kings..
That's Injustice.
And such Thief needs Justice.
If Truly Dansuki stile $2b,Why is the government so scared of trial.
Buhari has killed our Jury system.
When PDP losses the case for vote recount in Ekiti,I know something is wrong.
How can you loose such case?
Simple as let us recount the vote again...

and they are being ordered by the court to grill Oshiomole.

yarimo:
FAYOSE will soon know that, tea is made up of water

Yes oh... How dare he bad mouth baba

We will show him pepper

abi u don forget say ai sing ooohhhh
malam be akpere
basket mouth wan open mouth again o.
i go open mai mouth like basket
malam be akpere
basket mouth start to leak again o

toolovely:
and they are being ordered by the court to grill Oshiomole.

The court do not know that APC politicians are Saints

Just like Amaechi... They do not like money

very good , effect of when you talk too much uncontrollably .....Mr only opposition. now PDP don forsake am

Lmao...

They have condemned Fayose before trial.Does it make nation building sense?

It really shows what APC is upto in this country. Because a man spoke up against opperation of the poor by the government of the day, instead of looking within and sweep their house with the Broom they have in abundance, all they are shouting is crucify him.

Well, unearned suffering is redemptive and in our world though the best things get crucified the joy is that they rise again.

Eeyah so Fayose will now be in cage during election period. Well I will advice him to refund the money and go free just like Obanikoro did.

Rexnegro:
very good , effect of when you talk too much uncontrollably .....Mr only opposition. now PDP don forsake am

Exactly... Under this administration... Once you talk too much.. EFCC will gun for you