• Anti-gov protest rocks Ekiti
From Wole Balogun, Ado-Ekiti
Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, bickered over freezing of Governor Ayodele Fayose’s personal accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) .
At the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti, Fayose challenged the legality of EFCC freezing his accounts. His lawyer, Mike Ozekhome has already filed a suit on the matter.
On July 4, EFCC filed an affidavit at the court leading to an adjournment of the case as requested by Ozekhome to enable him time to address the allegations.
While the APC, joined by Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) and other anti-Fayose groups trooped to the streets of Ado Ekiti to protest alleged looting of the state’s commonwealth by Governor Fayose, challenging the governor to waive his immunity and submit himself for probe, the governor’s aide, Idowu Adelusi, dismissed their allegations as spurious .
Adelusi said asking the governor to waive his immunity amounts to “ranting of an ignorant lot.”
Describing the freezing of Fayose’s accounts by the EFCC for allegedly containing N1.3 billion slush fund from the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), to fund the governor’s campaign in 2014, as a right step, the protesters passed a vote of confidence in the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari and his anti-corruption war.
They urged the EFCC to dig deep into the finances of the state and prosecute whoever was indicted in the looting of its treasury.
APC acting Chairman in the state, Mrs. Kemi Olaleye, said: “We are tired of immunity clause.
“Immunity has become impunity in Ekiti. We condemn Governor Fayose’s corrupt tendencies. Things must change.
“The EFCC must do its job and ensure that looters of Ekiti are brought to justice.”
But Adelusi, countered. He said: “The APC protesters asking Fayose to waive 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 because we are ever ready for them on daily basis like soldiers guarding entrance of military formation.
“They should know that this is 2016 and not 2006.
“Their 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 cannot go far.
“For now, the APC should not be too desperate for Fayose to defend himself against the myriads of allegations.
“Rather, they should wait till 2018 for the governor to submit himself to the EFCC as he did in 2007.
“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.”