The political atmosphere in the country promises to be hot and interesting in the coming weeks as reports have emerged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has set up a special team to interrogate the outgoing Governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose.
According to Punch Newspapers, the EFCC are lying in wait for 11:59pm on October 15 when Fayose’s immunity as Governor would elapse and the anti-graft commission will have legal and constitutional access to him as a private citizen.
It is said the Commission plans to arrest, interrogate and prosecute Fayose even as he is expected to report at the EFCC head office in Abuja to meet with the commission’s Director of Operations, Umar Mohammed.
Ayodele Fayose is currently under investigation for allegedly receiving over N1.2bn from former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), through a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.
According to the EFCC, the said amount was allegedly handed over to Fayose during the build-up to the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State.
Several individuals close to Fayose including one of his aides, Abiodun Agbele, had been arraigned by the EFCC alongside others but Fayose was excluded at the time 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 also expected to be arraigned for an alleged contract fraud after the expiration of his tenure next week.
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Reacting to the news however, a spokesperson for the governor, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, said his boss was ready for the EFCC.
Adelusi further noted that the Fayose had written a letter to the EFCC indicating his readiness to appear before the commission next week.
“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.” He said.