The Centre for Anti-Corruption
and Open Leadership, CACOL, has reacted to the arraignment of former Governor
of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose.
CACOL lauded Fayose’s arraignment
at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday over alleged fraud and
misappropriation of N30.8bn, which came after the expiration of the
ex-governor’s immunity from prosecution.
In a statement by its Coordinator for Media and Publications, Adegboyega Otunuga, CACOL
recommeded speedy trial of the former Governor, while calling on other public
office holders to learn from Fayose’s predicament.
The centre said, “It would be
recalled that the immediate past governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose, had,
on October 16th, the very day his tenure elapsed, submitted himself at the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC’s Headquarters, in Abuja, for
offences that border on corrupt enrichment and diversion of public funds, part
of which includes allegedly receiving N1.3bn (One Billion, Three Hundred
Million Naira) from the former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu
Obanikoro, which was used to allegedly rig the 2014 Ekiti state governorship
election in his favour.
“We would also recollect that, on
the following day of submitting himself to the EFCC’s office in Abuja, the
anti-graft agency approached a Federal High court to obtain an order of
detention and subsequent arraignment in court within two weeks which was duly
granted.
“This was followed up by his
arraignment in court, earlier today for misappropriation and diversion of
public funds totalling N30.8bn. Our organization, CACOL, as an anti-graft
coalition, takes keen interest in this elongated corruption issue that involves
a notable politically-exposed person (being a former governor) and commends the
EFCC for following due process in taking the ex-governor into custody and his
eventual arraignment.
“Without any prejudice or emotion
about all the melo-drama that has characterized this high-profile corruption
case, we expect the EFCC to have done its preliminary findings and
investigation, well enough to diligently prosecute this matter and leave no stone
unturned in recouping almost all of the public funds that must have been
criminally siphoned and misappropriated. In similar vein, we recommend speedy
trial and avoidance of undue judicial filibustering to enable the generality of
ordinary Ekiti people, who have been at the receiving end of the fleece of
their scarce resources, to heave a sigh of relief and rekindle their long lost
hope in the ability of the system to redress social ills, irrespective of whose
ox is gored.
“It is pertinent to also note
that the arraignment and subsequent prosecution of ex-governor Fayose, is a
signal to all office holders today, that no matter how long it takes to enjoy
‘immunity’ and thereby escape justice, the people’s power would always catch up
with those whose pride is in betraying people’s mandate and trust that
conferred power and public till unto them as nobody could permanently run away
from their shadow.”
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