TheCable

Justin Ighene, an official of Coscharis Motors Nigeria Limited, has alleged that Kayode Fayemi, former governor of Ekiti state, awarded the company a contract to supply 156 vehicles, through an oral agreement.

He said this on Thursday while speaking at the sitting of the judicial commission of inquiry set up by the state government to investigate Fayemi’s expenses while in office.

Ayodele Fayose, governor of the state, had set up the panel to probe allegations of financial misappropriation against the administration of his predecessor.

Ighene said Coscharis Motors had carried out the said transaction based on the “trust and relationship” it has with the state government.

He, however, added that the company was given a letter of award of contract for its second transaction with the state – the supply of 59 vehicles to the state government.

“The 156 units (of vehicles) earlier supplied and paid for were via a contract agreement, although oral, between my employers and the Ekiti state government,” he said.

“We chose to honour such agreement due to the trust and relationship we have with the state government. And businesses are usually built on trust. So, we trust the state government.

“The first 156 was via oral agreement but for the second 59 (units of cars), there was an award letter (which he tendered in evidence to the commission).”

Ighene’s evidence, however, contradicted a letter written by Coscharis Motors to the state ministry of local government, dated May 2, 2014, concerning the matter, according to Lere Olayinka, Fayose’s spokesman.

He quoted Shittu Rotimi, in charge of procurement, furniture and distributions of the state’s vehicles as saying 219 vehicles were received by his office “and not 235 as indicated in Coscharis Motors letter to the ministry of local government dated May 2, 2014.”

Fayemi, a serving minister in the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, is yet to react to the allegation.