TheCable

Lere Olayinka, spokesman to Ayodele Fayose, ex-governor of Ekiti state, has described as funny, the continued detention of his principal by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Fayose has been in the custody of the anti-graft agency since Tuesday. He is being probed for alleged money laundering and financial misappropriation.

The EFCC released the pictures of some houses alleged to have been purchased by Fayose through illegal means.

There are reports that the ex-governor had started opening up on the corruption allegations.

However, Olayinka, in a statement, described the reports as “false and misleading”.

He said Fayose had nothing more to say than denying the allegations.

He added that the EFCC had no evidence against Fayose but was only detaining him on the order of “powers that be”.

Olayinka asked the EFCC to charge Fayose to court if indeed the commission has any evidence against him.

He accused the anti-graft agency of persecuting the former governor because of his persistent criticisms of the President Muhammadu Buhari led government.

“No amount of sponsored media reports will change the fact that as at today, the EFCC does not have any evidence to prosecute the former governor in court,” Olayinka said.

“It is a fact that Fayose wrote to the EFCC on September 10, 2018 notifying the commission of his decision to make himself available on October 16, 2018. The EFCC replied by asking him not to wait till October 16 and that he should come on September 20, 2018.

“Therefore, isn’t it funny that the same EFCC that was desperate to have Fayose report on September 20 is still keeping him in detention, four days after he willingly submitted himself?

“Isn’t it now clear to all discerning minds that EFCC is only acting as an agent of persecution against perceived enemies of the APC and it is helping to keep Fayose out of circulation as desired by the powers that be?

“Very soon, the public will still be fed with stories like; Fayose writes confessional statement and eats it, he weeps in detention, begs to return loots among other familiar lies of the EFCC.

“Nigerians should just ignore the EFCC’s sponsored lies and continue to ask why the anti-graft agency has failed to charge Fayose to court despite the overwhelming evidence it claimed to have.

“Most importantly, Nigerians should be rest assured that Fayose will not be intimidated even if he is detained for as long as the EFCC will be ready to take him to court.

“He won’t say more than what he has said which is denying the EFCC allegations and that the anti-graft agency is more of a persecutor than prosecutor.”

On Thursday, Mike Ozekhome, human rights lawyer, said efforts were in place to secure Fayose’s release.