Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has opened up on how his
election was funded two years ago by the Zenith Bank Plc, fund
raising, donations from friends and associates as well as sales of
campaign souvenirs, saying; "I have no financial transaction
whatsoever with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA)
under Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and former Minister of State for Defence,
Senator Musiliu Obanikoro either by cash, cheque or electronic
transfer."
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, the
governor challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) to publish statements made by Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, his
son or any other person associated with money from the NSA office
where they claimed they gave him money for the election, adding that
"EFCC is only acting a movie scripted, produced and directed by the
All Progressives Congress (APC) government of President Mohammadu
Buhari just to silence me being a major opposition voice in the
country."
On the alleged involvement of President Buhari's wife, Aisha Buhari in
the Halliburton scam, the governor challenged the president's wife to
visit the United States of America to convince Nigerians that she was
not the Aisha Buhari mentioned in the judgment, convicting William
Jefferson.
He said; "it is on record that the President has visited USA three
times and his wife did not travel with him. Equally, she ought to have
visited USA last year September to chair a United Nation programme but
she sent wife of the Senate President, Mrs Toyin Saraki to represent
her."
The governor said; "the management of Zenith Bank, which majorly
funded my election, called me to a meeting where I was assured that
fund will be provided for my election. I was asked to nomine a
trusted ally to be related with and I nominated Mr Abiodun Agbele.
"All the payments into Abiodun Agbele's account domiciled in Zenith
Bank were directly from Zenith Bank. In actual fact, the account was
opened by Zenith Bank hurriedly at that time and Abiodun Agbele's
identity card which ought to have been collected before the account
was opened was only collected last week in the bank's desperation to
perfect the account obviously after submitting to the intimidation and
harassment of the EFCC.
"Most of the funds posted into Agbele's account were through the
Ibadan, Akure and Lagos branches of the Zenith Bank and sometimes;
they brought cash.
"Assuming but not conceding that cash moved from Lagos to Akure as
being claimed by the EFCC in its usual manner of media trial, was
meant for my election in Ekiti, why was the cash not moved to Ado
Ekiti branch of Zenith Bank or the cash handed to me directly? Why was
it deposited into Zenith Bank, Akure and did the bank make any report
on the transaction to the appropriate authorities? Why did the bank
send its bullion van to move the money from Akure Airport to their
Akure branch if it was illegal money?
"I must say it categorically that I don't have any link financially
with Obanikoro and I know as a fact that he (Obanikoro) has not; and
cannot mention my name, as beneficiary of whatever money any company
in which he has interest could have gotten from the ONSA if truly
Obanikoro collected money from the ONSA as being claimed by the EFCC.
"Therefore, bringing Obanikoro and his son's narrative or that the
Zenith Bank is telling different stories, having been blackmailed and
coerced into submission by the EFCC is a joke that will not fly.
"I wish to state further that if it becomes evidently clear that those
who willingly provided money for my election can no longer stand by
what did, may be because of threat from the EFCC, I will not hesitate
to name names."
The governor, who challenged the EFCC to also beam its searchlights on
the funding of APC elections, especially that of President Buhari,
said; "Since we are now in the era in which financial assistance from
Nigerians to fund elections is being criminalised, the international
community, especially those funding EFCC must insist that the
commission probes the funding of APC elections before further funds
are released to the commission.
"Most importantly, Nigerians are interested in the $60 million
allegedly donated to the APC campaign by Sahara Energy, on which EFCC
has been forced to suspend investigation.
He said it was obvious that he has become the main headache of
President Buhari's government, adding that; "what they are doing now
is part of their grand plots to intimidate and harass me into
submission but I am not someone that can be cowed by threats of
incarceration and death.
"I advise that they should keep their gun pounder dry and wait till
the end of my tenure in 2018 and I want to assure them that I will be
available to answer any of their questions, no matter how
unreasonable.
"Furthermore, Nigerians should know that I have been persecuted by the
EFCC before, using phantom N1.2 billion poultry scam and I came out
victorious. I was not only acquitted, I got N10 million judgment
against the EFCC and my impeachment that was orchestrated by the EFCC
was quashed by the Supreme Court.
"Nigerians should recall that it was part of this plot to get back at
me because of my critical stance on Buhari's government that the Ekiti
State House of Assembly was invaded by men of the Department of State
Service (DSS), placement of travel ban on me and lately, illegal
frozen of my account by the EFCC.
"I therefore make bold to state that in the overall interest of
democracy and well-being of Nigerians, I will continue to speak my
mind on issues bordering on governance in Nigeria. I will not be
intimidated!"
Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE
Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner
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