Alleged Fraud: Drama as Fayose storms Ekiti Assembly 24 hours after summons

…. We resisted Fayose’s ambush on Ekiti Assembly – Ekiti
Speaker
…. Says he escaped attack by hoodlums after visiting
Assembly

There was drama on Friday at Ekiti State House of Assembly
complex as former governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose staged
a surprise visit to the chamber in less than twenty four hours
after the lawmakers summoned him to appear over alleged fraud.

Fayose stormed the premises of the Assembly at about1:15 pm and
went straight to the office of Speaker, Mr. Funminiyi Afuye office
to throw light on the alleged financial misappropriation.

The former governor was received by the Speaker, Mr Funminiyi
Afuye and the deputy Speaker, Hakeem Jamiu where he met them behind
closed door for about 40 minutes.

Fayose said that he came to Ekiti House of Assembly to tell them
“I am here and if they need any clarification I can answer because
clear conscience fear no foe.”

The Assembly had at its Thursday plenary session summoned Fayose
to appear before its committee on Public Account over alleged
misappropriation of local government funds while in office.

Also summoned alongside the former governor are the former
chairman of the Association of Local Government chairmen ALGON, Mr.
Dapo Olagunju, the former Commissioner for Local Government
Affairs, Mr. Kola Kolade and all the former 16 local government
chairmen.

The Assembly said that its decision followed the adoption of the
recommendations of the joint Committee of the House on Public
Petition and Local Governments that were recently directed to look
into a Petition submitted to the Assembly by 8 suspended council
chairmen in the State

Fielding questions from journalists after the brief meeting, the
former governor said that he received the summon on him on
Television and decided to come to see the lawmakers.

“Let me say that I got their summon on the News media and I
called the speaker last night to confirm whether it is true or not
and he confirmed it. You know my style, when EFCC wanted me, I told
them I am here.

“Today too I have come to the Ekiti house of Assembly to tell
them, I am here and if they need any clarification I can answer
because clear conscience fear no foe. I am saying it that I am
available.

” The Speaker confirmed that they don’t know that I will be
coming. He said that the committee in charge are not immediately
available. But I want to let them know that for any question
whatsoever, I am a leader am here and I will continue to be here.
So I drove all the way from Lagos to tell that there is no hiding
place people like us.

” I am ready to give account of my stewardship. I don’t play
politics in that manner, that is why I am here.”

On whether he was given a soft landing by the Federal Government
on his case before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC), he said, the Fayose you know won’t compromise standard. I
won’t follow multitude to sin.

“While I want to believe that selective Justice won’t help our
country. I have condemned it severely anybody who says when you
join APC, you have become a saint. I have said it severally that I
will not join APC. If I wanted a soft landing, I would have done it
in the past. What is the soft landing, is it because I am before
EFCC? ”

However, another twist was added to the unfolding drama on
Friday when Fayose in a phone call alleged that he narrowly escaped
being attacked after left the Assembly and was on his way to his
home town in Afao Ekiti.

The former governor alleged that thugs in an unmarked black
Hilux Jeep trailed him and hauled stones on his moving Range Rover
Jeep.

He, however, did not give details of the attack on him but said
he was grateful to God for sparing his life. He said he was not
hurt and nobody in his entourage was hurt.

Meanwhile, the Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly has
disclosed that the former Governor of the State, Mr Ayodele
Fayose’s ambush to the House of Assembly complex was resisted
because he came unannounced.

The Speaker in a press release signed by his Special Adviser,
Akogun Tai Oguntayo, disclosed that after the resolution of the
House of Assembly at the plenary Thursday inviting the former
Governor to appear before the House. He called the Speaker to
confirm if the report was true. The Speaker confirmed to Mr
Fayose’s it was true and that was the end of the discussion.

The statement further disclosed that after Fayose’s phone call,
the Speaker intimated two of the lawmakers of his conversation with
the erstwhile governor.

Just as the Speaker was settling down in his office this
afternoon, Mr. Fayose stormed his office with a retinue of press
men led by his former media aide, Mr Lere Olayinka, who was equally
wanted on another alleged fund theft.

The Speaker who was accompanied in his office by two other
lawmakers immediately stopped the journalists from entering his
office and warned Mr Olayinka against writing any fake report as
it’s usual of him.

When Mr Fayose announced his readiness to the Speaker, he was
told to go back and await the official invitation letter from the
House of Assembly.

Rt Hon Afuye however stated that the former Governor was
accorded his due compliment on arrival at the House of Assembly
”being a former No1 citizen of the State”.

He then reiterated that the House cannot be harassed or
intimidated by anyone ”as we are poised to investigate the alleged
looting public fund without any fear or favour”.

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