Posted on: 06:05 Fri, 08 Jul 2016



The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) has begun plans to
seize some properties worth up to
N1.35 billion connected to Governor
Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State.

The houses to be confiscated by the
anti-graft agency include, four
duplexes at Victoria Island in Lagos
State and one located at 44 Osun
Crescent, Maitama, Abuja.

The Punch quoted a source on
Thursday as saying that the houses
were allegedly purchased with
illegitimate funds, stating that the
EFCC could invoke the Assets
Forfeiture clause to seize the
properties in line with sections 28
and 34 of the EFCC (Establishment
Act) 2004 and Section 13 (1) of the
Federal High Court Act, 2004.

The source added:- “Investigations
showed that the properties were
bought with bribes from Ekiti State
contractors. Some of the properties
were not bought in Fayose’s name
but through proxies. So, we will
seize all the properties by God’s
grace.”

The anti-graft commission is at
present probing Fayose for
allegedly receiving N1.219bn from
the Office of the former National
Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki
through a former Minister of State
for Defence, Senator Musiliu
Obanikoro.

Following the freezing of Fayose’s
Zenith Bank accounts, the anti-
graft agency alleged that it had
uncovered details of how the
governor had been receiving
kickbacks from state contractors.

Reacting with a rebuttal, Fayose
maintained that all the properties
linked to him were not bought with
stolen funds.

The Special Assistant to the Ekiti
Governor on Public
Communications and New Media,
Lere Olayinka, who spoke on behalf
of his principal, said any property
that might be linked to him or his
company was “bought legitimately
and his properties were duly
declared in his assets declaration
form and sources of such funds
were not illicit.”

He said since the money he got for
his election was from legitimate
sources and not from the ONSA,
“how the money is spent remains
his own business and not that of
anyone.”