EFCC: What public office holders should learn from Fayose’s trial – CACOL

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 forwarded to DAILY POST 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."