An anti-graft agency in Nigeria has frozen one of the personal bank accounts of People's Democratic Party chieftain, Ayodele Fayose over suspicion of fraud.
Ayodele Fayose
Governor Ayodele Fayose has accused the Federal Government of victimization after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC froze his personal Zenith bank account as well as that of his close associates.
This has attracted the intervention of Nigerian lawyers who feel Fayose is covered by immunity till 2018 when his tenure expires as governor of Ekiti state.
Fayose Governor Fayose, who opened up on the EFCC’s action while speaking at the premises of Zenith Bank, Ado-Ekiti, where he has his personal account, claimed that he got notice of plans by the Presidency to freeze his account some days earlier.
Fayose was enraged at the bank premises upon the knowledge of his inaccessibility of his account. Reports have it that the account is currently being investigated for fraud, Vanguard reports.
The governor said he had earlier issued a counter cheque to make a withdrawal, which was rejected by the bank located in Onigari , GRA in Ado Ekiti, describing the action as criminal and illegal.
Citing Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, Fayose said he enjoys immunity as a sitting governor, urging the Federal Government to fight corruption within the ambit of the law.
He said: “I got wind of the fact that the EFCC had placed restriction order on my personal account and that of my associates. I came here today (yesterday), and I have been able to see it. This action shows that this government has no respect for the constitution because I enjoy immunity under Section 308.
“I support government fighting corruption, but it has to be within the ambit of the law. You can investigate me; it is their right, but they have to wait till 2018 because I will be done by then. They should not be in a hurry because I will personally come to them for investigation.
“I have become a public figure in this country that I don’t have anywhere to run to. This rascality of EFCC must stop. If they like, let them investigate the whole world. Is it because they are the sitting government now that nobody can ask them questions? We will take every legal procedure to get things right.
“I am not leaving this bank until they give me a statement of account. They must put it into writing because EFCC has no right under the law to freeze my account. They did not communicate with me. They want to destabilize the state, and we will use all legal means to make them obey the constitution. They can investigate me, but they can’t coerce me.”