Posted by OLATUBOSUN SOWEMIMO and Sunday Kudaisi,Ado-Ekiti on
EKITI State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose yesterday said he was unperturbed by on-going investigations of his aides by the Economic.....
EKITI State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose yesterday said he was unperturbed by on-going investigations of his aides by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) claiming that the action was meant to discourage him from seeking re-election in 2007.
Briefing newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, he said current events in the state were similar to his travails during the governorship race in 2003.
As he spoke, his personal assistant, Mr. Goke Olatunji and three others were dragged before the Federal High Court, Lagos for allegedly aiding Fayose to launder the sum of N115.28 million.
Also docked is Mr. Gbenga James, who is the managing director of Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited and Avian Specialities Nigeria Limited which were joined in the suit as co-defendants.
Reacting however, Governor Fayose said:
"Ekiti earned the least allocation compared with other states in the country and the developments in the state were unequalled - What are they looking for? It is to stop my 2007 election".
"I heard they were collating this but that would not move me, because I will overcome them"
"I have been away from the state for 48 hours and a numbers of insinuations have been going on, in fact it takes a determined man who lead Ekiti not to react somehow".
"I went through what I am going through now because there was a coalition of some people against me in 2003, they said Fayose have no qualification, no papers, and has not what it takes to lead Ekitis".
"But over the time I proved them wrong. I have refused to submit to intimidation, refused to be cowed, so I am not surprised on the current development, because they knew that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries is four months ahead", he stated.
Reacting to the removal of Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, Fayose said, that before an Oba could be removed such an Oba must have been querried for at least three times.
"But from all indications either from me or my aides Ewi has not been querried, but that is not to say that any erring Oba cannot be removed".
He pointed out that though, "I have heard a running battle with the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, it has not got to that extent of querying him".
Fayose explained that the chieftaincy law before the State House of Assembly was one of the many laws in the assembly since laws are reviewed from time to time.
The royal fathers he said are paid from government coffer and any Oba whose activities is contrary to growth and development of Ekiti State would be removed, he warned.
Meanwhile, trial of the governor's and three others could not commence because counsels to the accused Messrs Adekunle Oyesanya and C. O. Durojaiye said they were served with copies of the charge sheet late.
Oyesanya is counsel to Mr. James and his two companies while Durojaiye is counsel to Mr. Olatunji.
But counsel to EFCC, Mr. Wahab Shittu said the 15 count charge was filed and dated July 25, 2006 and urged th court to accept it and allow same to be read to the accused persons.
Opposing Wahab's request, Mr. Oyesanya said the reading should be deferred to a later date because his clients were yet to read the charges against them to prepare their defence.
He said section 36 (6) of the 1999 constitution entitles them to know the offence before them in order to prepare their defence.
He said his clients intend to file an objection on the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter under section 137 of the Criminal Procedure Law CPL.
Also opposing Shittu, counsel to the governor's PA, Mr. Durojaye said he alligned himself with the submission of Oyesanya as he too was served just before entering the court.
He also applied that the court should order the prosecution to have the accused persons in its (EFCC) custody pending their arraignment.
Reacting to their submissions, Shittu said the issue of challenging the court's jurisdiction should not be allowed to delay the arraignment because it can always be raised at any stage in the process of trial.
The presiding judge, Justice Tijani Abubakar however held that timely service of charges are very essential to the parties involved because the accused persons have to see the charges before them to prepare their defence.
While adjourning the matter till August 1, he ordered that the accused person be remanded in the EFCC custody.
The matter between the Federal Government and four accused: Mr. Gbenga James, Biological Concepts Nigeria Limited, Mr. Goke Olatunji (personal assistant to Ekiti State governor), and Avian Specialities Nigeria Limited as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th accused respectively, Mr. Gbenga James is said to be the owner of the two companies among the accused persons.
According to the 15-count charge, the four accused were alleged to have at various times and places assisted Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State to launder a sum of N115,286,171.15.