Ekiti Assembly Passes Vote Of Confidence On Fayose, Orders EFCC To De-freeze Governor’s Account

The Ekiti State House of Assembly has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to immediately de-freeze the bank account of the state Governor, Ayo Fayose.

The Assembly described the action of the EFCC in freezing Fayose’s account as ultra vires.

Maintaining that a citizen’s account could not be frozen without a court order and since a sitting governor cannot be listed in a case before a court of law on account of his immunity, the action was null and void.

The House said the order formed part of the resolution of the House, which also witnessed the passing of a vote of confidence on Fayose at its plenary on Tuesday at the Assembly complex in Ado-Ekiti.

The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Kola Oluwawole, and the Leader of Business, Hon. Tunji Akinyele, at plenary, recalled how the election of Governor Fayose on June 21, 2014 was acclaimed as free fair, credible and a model for the then coming presidential election in the country.

They opined that Tuesday, being the second anniversary of the election, it was a sad commentary on the nation’s democracy that after having tried several times unsuccessfully to discredit the election, the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government had resorted to arm-twisting to embarrass and cause discomfort for the Fayose-led government in Ekiti State.

The House also resolved that a former Commissioner for Finance in the State, Dapo Kolawole, should appear before it to clarify the statements he recently made on a private television station with regard to the finances of the state, particularly under the immediate-past administration in which he served.

Besides committing a new bill, the Prohibition of Cattle Grazing Bill 2016, to its committees on Agriculture and Environment, after scaling its second reading, the Ekiti State House of Assembly also addressed a press conference through its Chairman, Committee on Information, Sports and Youths Development, Hon. Gboyega Aribisogan.

Aribisogan, who noted that the press parley coincided with the second anniversary of Fayose’s election, read out the important resolutions of the 26-member House of Assembly.

He said: “The 26 of us in the House of Assembly are resolutely loyal to the governor and his government and no amount of intimidation or monetary inducement can sway us otherwise.

“In view of all these developments and other pressing matters, this House sat today and passed the following resolutions:

“1.    That the EFCC should investigate all allegations of financial mismanagement made against former governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, without further delay;

“2.    That the EFCC should defreeze the account of Governor Ayodele Fayose immediately, because it is illegal, null and void, due to the immunity he enjoys under Section 308 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;

“3.    That the EFCC should work within the legal framework of its establishment and stop being an agent of the APC;

“4.    That this honorable House passed a vote of confidence on His Excellency, Governor Ayodele Fayose today, being exactly two years after the conduct of his election adjudged to be free and fair by the international community and all concerned;

“5.    That this House extends an invitation to former Ekiti State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Dapo Kolawole, to clarify some issues he raised during his recent media briefing on African Independent Television (AIT).

“6.    That the APC-led Federal Government should concentrate on good governance to reduce poverty and several security challenges in the country, rather than embarking on a wild goose chase of perceived opposition elements as seen in its several attempts to muzzle Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and many others.”