#APC tackles Fayose over Abuja N650m land deal - News24

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has challenged Governor Ayodele Fayose to explain to Ekiti people how he got N650m to purchase a land allegedly transferred to the retired Chief of Defence Staff, Air Vice Marshal Alex Badeh.

A witness in the ongoing trial of Badeh had on Monday in a Federal High Court, Abuja, testified that Fayose was the owner of a N650m land that variously changed hands, landing finally in the laps of the former Chief of Defence Staff, who is facing criminal trial over alleged fraud in Defence vote.

The party said Fayose’s response becomes imperative, following the refusal of the governor to declare his assets public, including allegations of fraud raised against him that he has not denied.

The party in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said Ekiti people would want to know the details of the governor’s properties and how he acquired them in the face of several allegations of illegal fund transfers, including the $35 million he allegedly got from the Office of the National Security Adviser to prosecute his election in what is now known as Ekitigate.


The statement reads: “Fayose has refused to tell Ekiti people the details of his assets after he was sworn in and of course we have been vindicated in our claim that the governor was involved in the arms purchase fraud through which billions of naira were ferried to Ekiti to rig his election.

“This is also a confirmation of alleged keeping of billions of naira in alleged specially-designed save made in South Africa where proceeds of frauds are kept in Afao-Ekiti.
“In his first term, anti-crime agencies discovered that the governor made anticipatory declaration of assets, including his Iyaganku mansion in Ibadan.
“The site of that property was a thick forest when Fayose became a governor as discovered by the EFCC and DSS in their reports on the governor’s assets declaration form.”

“Fayose has neither rendered account of Ekiti finances to the people nor declared his assets publicly like his predecessor in office. This is why Fayose is opposed to the Single Treasury Account.

“This is why many secret accounts allegedly owned by him are believed to be conduit pipes through which state funds are used for his personal use, particularly several taxes collected from Ekiti people that cannot be traced to any account owned by Ekiti State Government,”