‘Buhari brought Obanikoro back because he wants to implicate me,’ Governor says

Obanikoro, who was the minister of state for defence under the Goodluck Jonathan regime, revealed that he gave $5,377,000 in cash to Fayose for the June 2014 elections in Ekiti.

However, in response, Fayose said that Obanikoro was brought back to the country by President Muhammadu Buhari in order to implicate him by all means.

Fayose made the comments via a statement released by his media aide, Lere Olayinka.

The statement reads:

“This project ‘Fayose must be implicated at all cost’ will definitely not put food on the tables of Nigerians and for all I care, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its collaborators can keep running from pillar to post while I keep delivering good governance to Ekiti and its people.”

“We have gone pass this stage of media trial, EFCC should rather keep its gun powder dry, when we get to the bridge, we will cross it. They said more than this in the 2006 poultry scam blackmail, despite that, I am the governor today.

“Those who arranged the dramatic and compromised return of Senator Obanikoro to Nigeria obviously did so in continuation of their project ‘Fayose must be implicated at all cost’ but I am not bothered because my election was legitimately funded.

“However, if this is why they are intimidating judges and the judiciary, it won’t work as far as my own matter is concerned as no one can play God. As far as I am concerned, I am busy here in Ekiti attending to the welfare and well-being of my people. I won’t be distracted.

“Since we are now in the era in which financial assistance from Nigerians to fund elections is being criminalized, the international community, especially those funding EFCC must insist that the commission probes the funding of APC elections before further funds are released to the commission.”

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Obanikoro arrived Nigeria from the US on Monday, October 17, to honour the invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which has accused him of laundering N4.75 billion.