N4.7bn fraud: Fayose has a case to answer, says EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says former governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose, has a lot of issues to clear with it, especially on the N4.7bn that he allegedly received from the former Minister of State for Defence.

EFCC accused Fayose of retaining a part of the money which he allegedly received from the office of the national security adviser (ONSA) during the past administration.

He was alleged to have received the money in the build-up to the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti, through Musiliu Obanikoro, a former minister of state for defence.

“Apart from fraudulently retaining the sum of N1, 219,490,000 being part of the N4.7 billion stolen from the treasury of the federal government through the Office of the national security adviser, the applicant (Fayose) has also received gratification in form of kickbacks from various contractors with the Ekiti state government such as Samchese Nigeria Ltd, Tender Branch Concept Nig. Ltd, Hoff Concept Ltd and Calibre Consulting Ltd,” an EFCC source told National Daily.

The source added that some of the properties which Fayose allegedly acquired with the funds received have been marked for seizure.

“There are so many issues for which Fayose must provide answers to our interrogators. These things take time and he should know that it is beyond fanfare but being honest and providing answers to the issues,” the source was quoted as saying.

The EFCC had also said it will reopen its case file on the governor over the Integrated Poultry Project Biological Concepts Limited N1.3bn “fraud”.

The former governor reported at the commission’s office in Abuja on Monday.

He was said to have been grilled for hours by a special investigative panel, in the company of Mike Ozekhome, his lawyer.