Fayose to face two-count charge of corruption in Lagos federal high court on Monday

FORMER Ekiti State governor Ayo Fayose is to appear in court on Monday as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) look set to charge him with two counts of corruption at a Lagos Federal high court.

On Tuesday, Governor Fayose submitted himself to the EFCC following the end of his tenure and the lapsing of his immunity from prosecution. Turning up at the commission's offices in Abuja wearing a T-shirt with the inscription EFCC I'm Here, Governor Fayose said he is ready to answer any questions about his stewardship.

He has since been held for questioning and this weekend, the former governor is being flown from Abuja to Lagos where he will be formally charged. Governor Fayose has been served charges and trial notices in connection with the sums of N1.3bn and $5.3m allocated to him through the Office of the National Security Adviser from a N4.65bn slush fund.

In 2014, the money was said to be given to Governor Fayose by former defence minister Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, as he prosecuted the Ekiti State gubernatorial elections. So far, however, Governor Fayose has denied collecting any money, only admitting knowing Senator Obanikoro and his associate, Abiodun Agbele, who allegedly bought six choice properties for him in Lagos and Abuja.

Governor Fayose was said to have confirmed during interrogation yesterday that Mr Agbele bought the properties for him. It is believed that the EFCC will now apply to the court for an order allowing them to confiscate the properties.

EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren, said: “Fayose has been served with charges alongside his company, Spotless.”

Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose's spokesmen, said his principal is waiting to be charged to court, whenever the EFCC is ready. He claimed that the EFCC does not have evidence to prosecute the ex-governor but is just doing the bidding of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Mr Olayinka said: “With the deafening noise that they made about the evidence of corruption in their possession and even going by the EFCC ignoble tweet of July 15, 2018, in which the commission expressed its readiness to prosecute the former governor immediately he no longer enjoyed immunity, Nigerians had expected that by now, he will be facing trial in court. However, because the EFCC does not have any evidence against Fayose, the commission has opted to keep him in detention so as to satisfy its paymasters whose major agenda is Fayose must be kept out of circulation by whatever means."