There appears to be no respite in sight for embattled governor of Ekiti state, Mr Ayodele Fayose, whose accounts with Zenith Bank recently became the subject of a freeze order by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
New reports indicate that the anti-graft agency has traced three luxury mansions to an associate believed to be acting as a front for the troubled Ekiti state governor.
According to The Nation, the houses – one in Abuja and two in Lagos – are believed to have been bought with part of the N1.219billion allegedly diverted into the 2014 Ekiti governorship election from the office of the National security Adviser (NSA).
While Fayose has denied having any dealing with the NSA’s office while Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) was in charge, EFCC investigators maintain that the cash used to purchase the houses was a part of the sum of N4.745billion allegedly allocated to a former minister of state (Defence), Musiliu Obanikoro by the ONSA as a war chest to win the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states in 2014.
Sources within EFCC hinted to newsmen on Thursday that the agency has begun taking steps to seize the properties linked to Fayose, under the Interim Forfeiture Clause of the EFCC Act.
One source said: “Our investigators have retrieved relevant documents, including the mode of payment for the houses.”
The EFCC is equally said to be probing clues on the governor’s alleged acquisition of a choice property in Dubai.
“We are looking at these clues and exploring the Mutual Legal Assistance understanding between Nigeria and the UAE to authenticate the information at our disposal and to take necessary legal action,” the source said.
