Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, has once again reiterated his willingness to turn himself in to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) immediately his second term expires on October 16, 2018.
The governor had previously sent a letter to EFCC's acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu, in September, to notify him of his willingness to surrender himself for questioning immediately he transfers executive power to Ekiti governor-elect, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Tuesday, October 16.
Since then, the governor has filed a lawsuit against the anti-graft agency for its alleged unconstitutional witch-hunt against him which he claims has brought him public ridicule. This was after the agency sent an advisory message to certain security agencies directing that the governor should be arrested if he attempts to leave the country.
In a new letter addressed to Magu and dated October 10, the governor has accused the agency of attempting to force witnesses to implicate him in order to file a trumped-up charge against him.
In the letter, as reported by The Punch, Fayose said the agency has been trying desperately to "induce and or coerce" a certain witness, identified as Maroun Azeez Mecheleb Sam, to make a false statement against him.
The governor maintained that despite the EFCC's attempt to frame him, he looks forward to meeting the agency next week.
The letter read, "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.
"Permit me to stress that, a situation where a prospective witness is being induced or coerced to change his earlier statement by the operatives of the Commission is nothing but persecution.
"Therefore, it is important to bring to your notice that I am aware of your desperate efforts in the last 48 hours to procure evidence by hook or crook to 'nail' me.
"Specifically, I know as a fact that your Commission has been doing everything possible to induce and or coerce Mr Maroun Azeez Mecheleb Sam to make false statement to implicate me (when he appears in your office at noon today 11/10/2018) as a foundation for you to concoct trumped up charges against me notwithstanding the fact that the said Mr. Maroun who only returned to Nigeria in the last three weeks had earlier made two statements in Charge No. FRN vs. Abiodun Agbele and Ors. Copies extracted from the earlier proof of evidence are attached for ease of reference.
"Regardless, I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, 16th October 2018."
Fayose vs EFCC
The Ekiti governor has long been the subject of investigations by the agency for financial misconducts but could not be prosecuted due to the immunity he enjoys as governor, an immunity he's about to lose in a matter of days.
In his September letter, he accused the agency of carrying out several actions against him including freezing his accounts and attempting to secure temporary forfeiture of his properties.
When he offered to surrender on October 16 in the previous letter, the EFCC responded by asking him to show up at the commission's headquarters on September 20, an offer the governor refused, suggesting his office instead.