ICPC begins investigation into petitions of N25bn fraud against Fayemi, others

Operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other

related offences Commission were in Ekiti State for the better part of last week, in continuation of the anti-graft agency’s investigation of the alleged misappropriation of over N25 billion.

The ICPC team of investigators, which included two men and one woman, visited some of the projects claimed to have been executed with the N25 billion bond obtained from the capital market by the Fayemi administration.

The visit was said to be at the prompting of petitions written by the State Government and a group, Save Ekiti Coalition.

Sources close to the commission also disclosed that the Federal Government was no longer comfortable with the public perception of President Mohammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption fight as being selective and most importantly, Governor Ayodele Fayose’s claim that complaints from the State to the ICPC and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission about how the immediate past All Progressives Congress government of Fayemi fleeced the State were ignored.

Apart from its petition, the State government also forwarded a reminder to the EFCC and ICPC with Reference Number PB/894/5, dated September 14, 2015 and signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr (Mrs), Modupe Alade, expressing the displeasure of the Satte government to the way and manner the commissions were handling petitions submitted to them.

Some of the contracts being investigated were the construction of earthwork for the New Governor’s Office was awarded to PONTI-ITALWARE Nig Ltd on March 3, 2012 at the sum of N383, 900,911.06, construction of new governor’s office awarded to Interkel Nig Ltd at the sum of N2,027,495,857.45, Civic Centre awarded to Tiajin-Yuyang Construction Eng. Company Ltd at a sum of N2,573,584,395.75, rehabilitation of roads among others.