President Muhammadu BuhariPresident Muhammadu Buhari is using a corrupt anti-corruption agency to fight corruption, Governor Ayodele Fayose said on Wednesday, calling on the President to begin his anti-graft war within his party and close aides “since charity begins at home”.
Mr. Fayose called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to stop media trial and take evidences to court rooms if it is serious about real trials in court.
Talking about himself, Mr. Fayose whose personal bank account was frozen by the EFCC last month on suspicions that the billions of naira stashed in it were illegally acquired from government coffers, said any property that may be linked to him or his company was bought legitimately.
He said all his assets and liabilities were duly declared in his assets declaration form and sources of such funds were not illicit.
In a release issued on Wednesday by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Mr. Lere Olayinka, Mr. Fayose maintained that his election was funded by Zenith Bank as well as donations from friends and associates.
“As a promising candidate of my party, I cannot stop Nigerians from supporting my election like every other candidates of other political, including President Buhari,” he said.
He explained that since the money he got for his election was from legitimate sources, and not from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) “as being concocted”, how he spent it or is using it “remained his personal business”.
The governor countered the reported allegation by the EFCC that he received bribe from any contractor in Ekiti State, saying that “if they have anything against me, they should keep their gun powder dry”.
“In 2006 when they took me to court, their allegations crumbled like pack of cards because court decisions are founded on facts and law, and not on media trial as currently being done by the EFCC as teleguided by the APC in their desperation to set the people against me knowing fully that they are not on ground,” he said.
Mr. Fayose said “having failed to buy the conscience of Ekiti House of Assembly members, the APC people have become increasingly afraid of 2018 and that the agencies of the Federal Government should know that no matter how hard they try, Ekiti electorate will not be deceived by their blackmail and media trial.
Governor Fayose said “The EFCC should be told in clear terms that this is 2016 and not 2006 when impeachment notices against governors were signed on the table of EFCC operatives”.
Known to be close to the downtrodden, revelations that Mr. Fayose had billions in his personal bank account while workers in the State had not been paid for months damaged his reputation of being like any ordinary man.