Abiodun Agbele, an ally of Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has made incriminating statement against the latter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over his involvement in an alleged N2.1 billion election scam, sources have revealed.
Agbele, who is accused of playing a major role in the alleged disbursement of N1.2 billion from former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, is currently in the EFCC custody
He is said to have told the anti-graft agency that Fayose is coercing contractors to fabricate lies for him.
His confessional statement comes as the Ibrahim Magu-led EFCC makes a strong case for the freezing of Fayose’s account.
The EFCC had on Tuesday exposed the details of its graft case against Fayose, and justified why it froze his accounts with Zenith Bank.
In a detailed court filing, the commission pointed out that the governor was paid the sum of N2.1 billion out of the N2.26 billion paid to the account of Slyvan Mcnamara Ltd, a company said to be owned by the two sons of the former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro.
The anti-graft agency insists the cash came from the accounts of the Office of the National Security Adviser.
In the affidavit, filed before an Ado Ekiti Federal High Court, the agency also revealed how the governor received bribes from state contractors, thereby abusing his office and public trust.
The affidavit was tendered by Tosin Owobo, an operative of the EFCC, who insisted that Babajide, one of the sons of the former defence minister was the principal signatory of Sylvan Mcnamara, and that Obanikoro ferried the cash to Akure for onward deliver to the governor.
According to him, an official of Zenith Bank identified as Alade Oluseye had intimated a colleague, Lawrence Akande, that the money was being brought via Akure Airport for depositing and requested for a bullion van to convey the huge cash.
Owobo said: “On June 17, 2014, Mr. Oluseye, accompanied by Biodun Agbele, who he said was fronting for Mr. Fayose, arrived the Akure airport and took delivery of N724.5 million from Obanikoro in the presence of his Aide-de-Camp, Lieutenant Colonel A.O Adewale.
“The next day, the sum of N494.99 million was delivered by the former minister in the same manner at the airport. In all, Obanikoro, conveyed N1.2 billion via a chartered aircraft belonging to GYRO AIR Ltd with registration number: HS125-800 5N-BMT.
“After Alade Oluseye, an employee of Zenith Bank took delivery of the money from Obanikoro on June 19, 2014, Biodun Agbele, a front for Mr. Fayose, was instructed by the governor to deposit N219 million in cash to De-privateer Limited’s Zenith Bank account number: 1013835889.
“On the same day, the said Biodun Agbele made another cash deposit in the sum of N300 million, being part of the proceeds of crimes to the said De-privateer Ltd’s with the 2nd respondent.
“On the 23rd June, 2014 the sum of N200 million being part of these proceeds of crime, was also deposited in the said De-Privateer Ltd’s account domiciled with the respondent by Biodun Agbele, whilst acting in concert with the applicant.
“On the 26th day of June,2014 the said Biodun Agbele on the instruction of applicant further dissipated the proceeds of crime by depositing the sum of N137 million in account No. 1003126654 domiciled with the 2nd respondent in the name of the applicant. “On the 22nd and 27th day of August, 2014, Biodun Agbele also deposited the sum of N50 million and N118.7 million respectively in the said account which sum formed part of the proceeds of crime.
“In further dissipating the proceeds of crime deposited and retained in the account referred to in paragraphs (d) and (g) above, the sum of N300 million was put in a fixed deposit account No. 9013074033 in the name of the applicant on the 7th day of April, 2015.
“On June 17, 2014, Mr. Agbele deposited N100 million in the account of Spotless Investment Limited, owned by Mr Fayose, with Zenith Bank (number: 1010170969). On June 23, 2014, he also deposited N49 million to the account of Spotless Investment.” According to Owobo, there was a balance of N89, 454,765.00 in the account before it was frozen.
Mr. Owobo revealed that during interrogation, Messrs. Oluseye and Akande made confessional statements about how the transactions were made.
The EFCC official also detailed how Fayose was in the habit of collecting gratification from Ekiti State contractors, including Samchese Nigeria Ltd, Tender Branch Concept Nig. Ltd, Hoff Concept Ltd, and Calibre Consulting Ltd through two fronts: Still Earth Ltd and Signachorr Nigeria Ltd and in turn instructed the companies to acquire property for him.
Owobo said the companies bought property using the name of J.J Technical Services Limited, a company owned by Mr. Fayose and his wife.
”In another instance, Mr. Fayose used the name of his sister, Moji Ladeji, to buy a property located at No.44, Osun Crescent Maitama, Abuja.”
Realising that all the deals may have been blown open by Agbele, Fayose has resorted to fight dirty, allegedly dragging almost everyone that has had dealings with him into the mud.
Like he did with Zenith Bank, whom he accused of funding his campaign, the embattled governor has turned the heat on Still Earth and Signachorr, accusing the owners of colluding with the EFCC to make a case against him.
The companies, sources say, however, argue that they are reputable organisations and are prepared to co-operate with the law enforcement agencies since they have done nothing wrong.
They argue that most of the companies mentioned are business owners who have worked tirelessly to build a brand for themselves which should not be tarnished overnight by a desperate personality.
