Former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi has spoken on his recent interrogation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Fayemi had honoured an invitation at the Ilorin Zonal Command of the anti-graft agency on Thursday.
The former Ekiti governor was said to be under investigation by the EFCC over alleged N4 billion misappropriated funds during his tenure governor.
Reacting, Ahmad Sajoh, Fayemi’s media aide, said in a Friday statement that his principal was invited by the EFCC to its Ilorin office over alleged money laundering.
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However, Sajoh denied that his principal was under investigation for N4 billion fraud.
He said that during Fayemi’s visit to the EFCC, “no such allegation was raised during his conversation” with officials of the anti-graft agency.
Sajoh, however, said Fayemi was grilled on “a frivolous petition from a faceless group, the so-called Ekiti Patriotic Coalition” and that he “stands ready to cooperate fully”.
“We would like to address the concerns surrounding the invitation and subsequent visit of Dr Kayode Fayemi, the immediate past governor of Ekiti State and former Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, to the Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
“Last month, Dr Fayemi received an invitation from the Ilorin office of the EFCC regarding a money laundering petition against him. It was during the height of the preparations for the change of government, with many activities and programmes lined up as part of the event.
“A key member of the APC, Dr Fayemi was already committed to playing important roles at these events and his non-appearance would have impacted them significantly. Understanding the significance of his commitments at that time, Dr Fayemi duly notified the EFCC of his willingness to cooperate but requested a more suitable date for his appearance,” the statement read in part.
According to the statement, Fayemi, on Thursday, accompanied by his counsel, visited the EFCC office in Ilorin, and engaged in fruitful discussions with the investigators before being allowed to depart after a few hours.
“We firmly believe that Dr Fayemi’s visit has provided answers to the agency’s inquiries regarding the petition. However, should there be a need for further clarification, Dr Fayemi stands ready to cooperate fully.
“We wish to note, too, that contrary to the news that made the rounds about a purported N4b fraud case against Dr Fayemi, no such allegation was raised in his conversation with the EFCC.
“All he did was respond to a frivolous petition from a faceless group, the so-called Ekiti Patriotic Coalition, which we strongly believed is a front for some anti-Fayemi politicians, who are trying to soil the former governor’s good name and image,” the commission said.
The statement said throughout Fayemi’s tenure, he served the people of Ekiti State with utmost dedication and was renowned for his principled leadership.
“As governor, he consistently demonstrated a profound commitment to the welfare of the citizens, driving notable advancements in infrastructure development and attracting valuable investment opportunities to the state.
“We affirm that Dr Fayemi will continue to uphold the highest standards of integrity that he’s known for, and we trust that the truth will prevail in due course,” the statement further read.