EFCC arrests Governor's aide

Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos have arrested Abiodun Agbele, a close aide of the Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose.

Agbele was accused of receiving huge public funds from former Minister, Musiliu Obanikoro and delivered same to Governor Fayose.

He is currently being detained at the Lagos office of the anti-graft commission, Premium Times reports.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said he had not been briefed on the arrest.

He said: “It is true that we arrested some men who were fronting for governor. They are in our Lagos Office. That is all I can say for now.”

Meanwhile,Lere Olayinka in statement confirmed the arrest adding that the governor had nothing to do with funds from the Office of the National Security Adviser.

“Our attention has been drawn to the arrest of Mr Abiodun Agbele by the EFCC and we wish to say that we encourage the EFCC to carry out its investigations without politics as it is being done now.

“It must be pointed out that at no time was Mr Abiodun Agbele invited by the EFCC, and if he had been invited, he would have honoured the invitation. Therefore, there is nothing to celebrate in his arrest if it is not political.

“As already pointed out, Governor Ayodele Fayose does not have anything to do with any fund from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). He has stated how his election was funded and Zenith Bank that he said funded his election has not denied doing so.

“Also, the person said to have been arrested is an adult and will defend himself when the time comes. Subjecting him to media trial as EFCC has been doing since the inception of this government will only give our adversaries momentary sense of joy.

“We await reports of EFCC investigations and we hope that the anti-corruption agency will be civil enough to allow an open and transparent trial in competent court of law and not media trial just to get at Governor Fayose because of his uncompromising stance against the misrule of the APC/Buhari led federal government.

“Whatever stories being circulated by the EFCC and its political allies can at best be regarded as rumour as we were all in Nigeria when Nigerians were told that $700m cash was found in the House of Mrs and the story turned out to be lie.

“Finally, like we have maintained, Governor Fayose will remain resolute in making his opinions known on national issues and will not be intimidated.”

The anti-graft agency had frozen Fayose's Zenith bank account for allegedly receiving sum of money from the ONSA.