EFCC engaging in media trial – Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of resorting to media trial to portray him in bad light before members of the public.

Fayose said he remains unmoved by the alleged EFCC media trial, saying “the anti-corruption agency should wait till 2018 after my tenure when I will confront its lies.”

The governor is under investigation by the EFCC which froze his personal bank accounts suspected to have been used to launder about N1.2 billion cash alleged to be part of the N4.7 billion slush funds from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).

Fayose denied receiving funds from Dasuki, claiming that his 2014 governorship campaign was sponsored by Zenith Bank, donations from friends, corporate organizations and sales of souvenirs.

In a statement issued on Friday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose said, “the EFCC did more than this in 2006. But when I challenged their cooked up stories on poultry project in court, the EFCC failed to substantiate all their allegations against me and their case crumbled like a pack of cards.

“The EFCC is at liberty to continue to use the media to feed the public with concocted stories all in an attempt to tarnish my image. Cases are only won and lost in the court, not on the pages of newspapers. If they are sure of all their claims, can’t they just go to court?

“If what the EFCC and its collaborators are now relying on is a driver or a source in EFCC that is speaking for Zenith Bank, and not the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) that they claimed gave the former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, money to give me, goodluck to them.

“The EFCC and its spin doctors can continue to cook up stories and feed their collaborators in the media. The media trial can continue unabated, I am not moved. I am more focused, more resolute, I don’t lose battles.

“The one that they did in 2006 did not ultimately prevent me from having a second term as governor of Ekiti State and whatever they are doing now will also not stop me from handing over to a PDP governor in 2018.”