The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has said he won’t attend the inauguration of Dr Kayode Fayemi on Tuesday because he has a date with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The governor also advised the members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly to cooperate with Fayemi and work for the interest of the state.
Fayemi had on Wednesday said he had invited Fayose and was expecting him to attend the swearing-in on Tuesday.
But speaking at a press conference in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, Fayose said he might play into the hands of his enemies if he failed to report at the EFCC.
He said, “If I should attend the programme, some politicians may use the chance to harass me even when they are not sent by Fayemi.
“This will further destroy relationship. Issues between me and Fayemi are not personal. I have been cooperating with the committee set up by Fayemi on this transition
“Again, I have to be in EFCC office in Abuja on Tuesday. But let me say clearly that I am ready to appear before any panel set up by the incoming government to probe my administration,” he said.
Fayose urged Fayemi to deploy the N327m kept in the bank by his administration to complete the new Oja Oba market for the use of Ekiti traders.
He explained that he decided to abandon the civic centre project started by Fayemi and constructed a new market because it was not a priority to the people of the state.
Fayose said the newly built Ministry of Finance would be named after a former Minister of National Planning, Chief Ayo Ogunlade, to appreciate his contributions to the state.
The governor said he decided not to name any project after himself on the basis of his belief that such was morally wrong.
“The flyover, the new governor’s office, the roads, the Oja Oba Market, the Funmilayo Olayinka Women Development Centre and other projects will speak for me even if I refuse to name projects after myself.”
Meanwhile, Fayose has accused the EFCC of shopping for evidence to nail him.
He alleged that the anti-graft agency had started coercing witnesses to implicate him in order to file a trumped-up charge against him upon the expiration of his tenure on October 15.
Specifically, Fayose in an October 10 letter addressed to the acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, alleged that the commission had invited one Maroun Mecheleb in order to mount pressure on him to make false statements to implicate him (Fayose).
The letter entitled, “Stop coercing witnesses”, read partly, “I have always been made to know that the statutory functions and powers of your commission are neither to persecute nor compromise the integrity of your commission.”
