IS EKITI SINKING DEEPER IN CORRUPTION MIRE? By Osatuyi Olaniran, Ilupeju Ekiti.
The last may not have been heard about the controversy trailing the humongous amount of money staggering #7billion Naira spent on the construction of a Cargo Airport in Ekiti State by the immediate past administration of Governor Kayode Fayemi. Only a few hours ago, a former aide to the erstwhile Governor, Seun Odewale, who was the Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement under the administration, was arrested and quizzed by the anti-grate agency following his role in the alleged Billions of Naira that was embezzled through inflation of Contract sum and other dubious means while in office.
Unfortunately, instead of Mr. Odewale to provide the EFCC with the useful information that could aid the ongoing investigation, he was adamant and resolved to use the judiciary to thwart the investigation by approaching the Court to seek a restraining order, from further arrest and detention by the EFCC. It would be recalled, that the past administration of Governor Kayode Fayemi plunged Ekiti State into huge debt as a result of the ill-fated Airport project which he hurriedly commissioned before leaving office in 2022, even as the project was just at 60% stage of completion.
A few months Mr. Fayemi left office; he was invited by the EFCC over misappropriation of the State funds to the tune of #10billion. Although the allegations against the former Governor are still being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). All efforts by the former Ekiti State Governor, to use the judiciary to thwart and pervert the course of justice has failed. Even an online News platform christened SaharaReporters, detailed how Mr. Fayemi swindled Ekiti State by using his stooges through proxies to acquire a private University for himself and his wife somewhere in Ekiti State.
This case is also pending in Court as a result of the fact that the former Governor, sued Yele Sowore’s SaharaReporters, for smearing his image, forgetting that Sowore and his news outfit are armed with weighty evidence of how Fayemi and and his wife corned the resources of Ekiti people. No doubt, the EFCC is closing in on JKF following the arrest and investigation of Egghead Oluwasun Odewale whose office and in connivance with the current Commissioner for Finance Mr. Akin Oyebode, laundered and emptied Ekiti treasury on behalf of former Governor Kayode Fayemi. Sadly, the role Ekiti State House of Assembly led by Honourable Adeoye Aribasaoye, played in all of these, is repugnant and completely distasteful.
Imagine, an Ekiti State House of Assembly that was supposed to be on the side of the people and constituents whose scarce resources were allegedly siphoned and looted by the Kayode Fayemi led administration had the temerity to approach a Federal Court High sitting in Ado-Ekiti to challenge the investigative and prosecutorial power of the EFCC. This is most unfortunate. Although it didn’t come to many as a surprise owing to the way and manner they were handpicked and foisted on Ekiti people by Fayemi before he left office.
As if that wasn’t enough, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, who’s supposed to collaborate with the EFCC to retrieve Ekiti State funds in the hands of Fayemi and his boys, is also believed to be frustrating the EFCC. If the Governor is not frustrating EFCC investigation, why is BAO still keeping Akin Oyebode in his cabinet as the Commissioner for Finance in Ekiti State? Is BAO trying to help Fayemi pervert the course of justice? Is BAO also protecting his ‘Oga’ to the detriment of Ekiti people? Only time will tell as there’s more to the Airport project scam than meets the eye. Like Fayose Poultry project scam like Fayemi Cargo Airport project scam. May God deliver Ekiti State
By Osatuyi Olaniran
Ilupeju Ekiti
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