Ekiti State Government has debunked media report claiming that the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had discovered that
N59.6 million meant for projects under the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) in the State was diverted by Mr. Abiodun Agbele, saying;
“contract for the supply of nine units of ambulance, motorcycles and
other medical equipment was duly awarded to BYKD Consult Limited and
the contract was executed as awarded.”
The government, which advised the EFCC to stop its media trial and
investigations by trial and error, added that “claiming that Abiodun
Agbele bought choice cars from Affordable Cars Limited when there are
records of purchase of nine ambulances from the auto firm is not only
reckless but irresponsible. For the avoidance of doubt, EFCC should
kindly tell Nigerians the type of exotic cars that were bought with
the MDG funds. Are ambulances now exotic cars?”
In a release issued on Tuesday by the Special Assistant to the Ekiti
State Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka,
the government said “it is obvious that the EFCC is being tailored by
some elements in the All Progressives Congress (APC) to coordinate
falsehood against the Governor Ayodele Fayose in the media in their
desperation to discredit the governor before the 2018 governorship
election.”
The government, which said the EFCC and its APC allies, were only
employing blackmail and underhand tactics in their attempt to silence
Governor Fayose, slammed the APC for going to the most bizarre level
of forging press statement and claiming it was issued by Zenith Bank
to debunk the governor’s claim that the bank sponsored his election.
The statement read; “On Thursday, October 30, 2014, the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs), Ekiti State published Invitation for
Pre-Qualification of Contractors in the Nigerians Tribune newspaper
and based on this publication; several companies bided for the
contracts published.
“Among the companies was BYKD Consult Limited, which bided for the
supply of nine units of ambulance, motorcycles and other medical
equipment. Tender fees were duly paid and the contract was duly
awarded to the company, which in turn duly executed the contract.
“The nine units of ambulance were for six local councils in the State,
namely; Ido/Osi, Moba, Irepodun/Ifelodun, Ise/Orun, Gbonyin and Emure.
The nine units of ambulance were delivered by the contractor on March
13, 2015 and the records are there for the EFCC to see.
“It is a fact that MDGs projects are not for States alone. They are
done in collaboration with the federal government which also monitors
the process of awards, procurement and executions of all contracts. In
this instance, the federal government through the MDGs office in Abuja
monitored the procurement of all ambulances supplied to Ekiti by BYKD
Consult Limited.
“Therefore, claiming that N56 million MDGs was diverted is a cheap
blackmail and EFCC must know that trying Nigerians in the media while
abandoning thorough investigation is the reason the anti-corruption
agency has been unable to achieve any conviction since the beginning
of this APC government.
“If truly EFCC was serious about investigating financial crime, a
single phone call to Affordable Cars or officials of the MDGs in Ekiti
State would have help in their investigation
“It is obvious that the EFCC and its allies are only keeping Abiodun
Agbele in its custody so as to continue to sustain their
mis-information and media trial and we challenge the commission to
charge him (Agbele) to court where allegations would be tested in the
face of the law if they have anything against him or anyone.
“An organisation like the EFCC needs to show professionalism and
operate above politics. Harassing and intimidating innocent Nigerians
is ungodly and in itself corruption. It is sheer hypocriticy for the
APC led federal government to be attacking and blackmailing judges
just because they refused to be compromised in jailing innocent
Nigerians, when basic and simple investigation EFCC cannot conduct?
“Lastly, we make bold to say that our books are open and can be
assessed by the EFCC or anyone. However, the federal government should
pay more attention to the economy of the country that is almost
collapsing and put food on the tables of Nigerians.
“It is on record that Nigeria is facing the worst level of inflation
in the last 12 years, with kerosene now selling for as high as N250
per litre while diesel is now over N200 per litre.
“It is our plea that 50 per cent of the attention being deplored by the
APC led federal government to silence the opposition I should be
deployed into tackling the country’s economic problems, and if this
is done, Nigerians will definitely stop sleeping and waking up without
food in their stomach.”
