I'm not afraid of EFCC, I won't run away from Nigeria - Fayose
- Governor Fayose of Ekiti state dismissed speculations that he was planning to run away from Nigeria after his tenure expire
- The governor’s spokesperson said he (Fayose) is not afraid of the EFCC
- The EFCC had earlier posted a tweet threatening to exhume Fayose’s alleged poultry scam case
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state has said that he will not abscond from Nigeria when his immunity from criminal prosecution elapses in October 2018.
Fayose’s spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, said on Sunday, July 15, that he had talks with the governor over his future without immunity within the past 24 hours.
Olayinka said Governor Fayose will not leave the country after his tenure expires, Premium Times reports.
READ ALSO: Hours after defeating Fayose's deputy, Fayemi makes huge promise to Ekiti workers
He said: “He is not afraid of anything. What are they going to do to him? Is EFCC the court of law?”
Olayinka said there was no way the EFCC would be able to pin anything on his principal, whom he said would be willing to turn himself in after leaving office.
“Since 2015 that they started talking about Sambo Dasuki, how many Nigerians have they convicted?” Olayinka said.
“That was how they lied that the governor had a property on Gana Street in Maitama and nothing came out of it.”
Olayinka said Ekiti has been “under siege” since the electioneering kicked into full gear two weeks ago in the state, a situation he said persisted even after the federal government had its favourite person as the winner.
“The governor will hand over when the day comes in October,” Olayinka said. “And if it is necessary that he should go to the EFCC for questioning after leaving office, he will go and meet them.”
Governor Fayose is slated to hand over power to Kayode Fayemi, who flipped Ekiti state to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Saturday’s governorship election, on October 16.
Fayemi defeated Kolapo Olusola-Eleka, Fayose’s deputy and PDP’s candidate, to reclaim the only southwest state held by PDP.
Olusola-Eleka won in four local governments while Fayemi won in 12 local governments.
Shortly after the election result was announced on Sunday, July 15, insinuations filtered that Fayose may flee the country to avoid possible criminal charges as soon as he hands over to Fayemi in three months’ time.
Other critics of the governor speculated further that he had concluded plans to hand over to his successor and flee the country days before his tenure expires.
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Meanwhile, hours after Fayemi was declared the winner, the anti-graft EFCC posted a tweet threatening to exhume Fayose’s alleged poultry scam case.
Fayose was removed from office on allegations that he looted funds meant for poultry farming in 2006. He was being prosecuted for that scandal and other similar cases of infractions which EFCC linked to while in office at the time.
The EFCC was, however, criticised for the statement, which was taken down a few hours later. The agency clarified later that the matter was never dormant, saying prosecution only stopped because Fayose became a governor.
Ekiti 2018: Residents reveal who will win the governorship election| Legit.ng TV
Source: Legit.ng
