Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, on Monday accused wife of the President, Aisha Buhari of playing a role in the bribery scandal involving former US Congressman, Williams Jefferson.
This followed revelation by the governor that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has blocked an account he operates with Zenith Bank Plc.
Fayose distributed a link to the US Department of Justice Web site holding court documents where Mrs Buhari was alleged to have transferred suspicious funds to a convicted former American congressman, Williams Jefferson.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, Fayose said President Buhari was far from being corruption-free.
Fayose had earlier spoken to reporters at a Zenith Bank branch located in Onigari, GRA, Ado-Ekiti, saying he had information that the accounts of some of his associates were also affected.
In the release by Adelusi, the governor accused some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a prominent lawyer from the state of being the brains behind the action.
While condemning the action, Fayose said under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, especially the provisions contained in Section 308, he enjoyed immunity and wondered why his personal properties should become the targets of the Federal Government and its agencies under the guise of fighting corruption.
“Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution gives me immunity just like the President. I wouldn’t know why these people are intolerant of others and in a haste. Let them wait till 2018 when I will end my tenure for them to do their investigation. The other time the EFCC accused me of embezzling N1.2 billion poultry project fund, I was the one who voluntarily reported myself to the EFCC.
“It was when I got a hint of their move that I wrote a cheque to withdraw some money from the account and I came myself. I was denied access to the account as I was told the EFCC has placed restriction on it. That is executive rascality taken too far. Even when I had case with EFCC my properties were not affected.
“If they say they are investigating money spent on election, does it mean it is only Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that spent money on election? A lot of people and groups supported my campaign then. Where did APC and their leaders get the money they spent on 2015 general elections from? Now it is only in PDP that they find thieves, to them there are no thieves in the APC.
“A lot of petitions were written against former Governor Kayode Fayemi and the EFCC has not asked him a question up till now. The diversion of N850 million fund meant for Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board is there and nobody is asking Fayemi questions.
“Even the President cannot claim to be an angel. The estate he built in Abuja is known to us. His wife was indicted over the Halliburton Scandal. When that American, Jefferson, was being sentenced, the President’s wife was mentioned as having wired $170,000 to Jefferson. Her name was on page 25 of the sentencing of Jefferson. We can serialise the judgment for people to see and read.
“We will not allow this and we will defend our rights within the law of the land.
“Those who think they can silence me are mistaken. I am a person who is not perturbed by things like this. Let them wait till 2018 when I will finish my term and I will be the one to go and meet them. I won’t run away and let them investigate the whole world, I have nothing to hide or fear,” he said.
Spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, however, said “Immunity does not prevent EFCC from investigating suspicious accounts of those enjoying immunity, and Fayose cannot be an exception.”
