FAYOSE INSISTS HE WILL NOT HONOUR EFCC’S INVITATION
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-By: Joseph
Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has maintained that he would not
appear before the officials of the Economic and financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, despite being invited by the commission.
Speaking via a letter addressed to the Acting Chairman of the EFCC,
Ibrahim Magu, on Tuesday, Fayose affirmed that he would not appear
before its officials for questioning before October 16 — a day before
the expiration of his governorship tenure.
Fayose had earlier been invited by the commission on the 13th of
September 2018, to, as a matter of compulsion, make himself available
on the 20th of this month for questioning.
Responding to EFCC, Fayose cautioned the commission against violating
Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which vests
immunity in him as a sitting Governor.
He wrote, “I acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated 13th
September 2018 requesting me to appear on the 20th September.”
“As a responsible citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who
currently enjoys immunity under Section 308 of the Constitution, it
would amount to a breach of the Constitution which I swore to uphold
if I appeared in your office on any date earlier than 16th October
2018.
“If done otherwise, it will set a wrong precedent for the
constitutional institution that I represent.
“While drafting my response to yours of 14th September 2018, my
attention was drawn to your widely publicised letter of 12th September
2018 to the Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service, and similar
agencies, directing them to watch and arrest me on an imagination that
I might leave Nigeria to escape investigation.
“This development, to say the least, is disappointing and betrays your
commission’s unprovoked personal hatred and malice against my person.”
He added that in consideration of events in the past few months, the
EFCC had “presumed my guilt even prior to the commencement of an
investigation”.
“This raises a serious question about the impartiality, independence
or neutrality of the commission in the matter,” he said.
“I feel harassed, intimidated and embarrassed by the imputation of
crime and the innuendos of criminality underlining your correspondence
which, has been maliciously circulated widely.”
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