Property row: Ekiti PDP drags five chieftains before EFCC, IGP
BY STEPHEN GBADAMOSI
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ekiti State chapter, has formally petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) over what it described as “a brazen, unlawful, and criminal attempt to appropriate the party’s state secretariat through fraud and abuse of power.”
The petition indicts Mr. Joju Fayose, Mrs. Funmilayo Oguns, and former governor of the state, Mr. Ayo Fayose, for allegedly “orchestrating the unauthorised opening of a bank account in the name of the PDP Ekiti State chapter without the knowledge, consent, or approval of the party’s constitutionally-recognised leadership.”
The party claimed on Thursday, in a statement it said its “Media Team” released, that the said account was reportedly used to receive funds from Kensington Holdings Ltd. in connection with the purported sale of the PDP state secretariat located at Ajilosun, Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
It also said: “Let it be stated clearly and unequivocally that the PDP Ekiti State secretariat is a corporate asset of the party. It is not personal property. It is not transferable at the whims and caprices of any individual, no matter how highly-placed.
“At no time did the leadership or any recognised organ of the party authorise the sale, negotiation, transfer, or receipt of funds relating to the secretariat. The party has not received a kobo from the alleged transaction.
“This development represents a direct assault on the integrity, structure, and lawful authority of the PDP in Ekiti State. It is an act that, if proven, amounts to criminal conspiracy, forgery, fraudulent conversion, and a blatant attempt to usurp party assets for personal benefit.
“We have, therefore, called on the EFCC to immediately investigate this suspicious transaction, trace and freeze all funds linked to the account in question, and ensure that every individual involved faces the full weight of the law. No one is above the law.
“Equally disturbing is the reported involvement of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Nigeria Police Force in what appears to be a deliberate attempt to intimidate, harass, and criminalise the legitimate leadership of the party for asserting its lawful ownership of its property.
“The deployment of security operatives to protect alleged wrongdoing is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
“The PDP Ekiti State chapter will not be cowed. We will not be intimidated. We will not surrender our collective assets to personal interests masquerading as authority. Any attempt to misuse state security apparatus to silence or suppress the party’s lawful leadership will be firmly resisted through all constitutional and legal means available to us.
“We call on the Inspector-General of Police to rein in any officers acting outside the bounds of professionalism and neutrality. The Nigeria Police Force must not allow itself to be dragged into partisan or personal disputes under any guise.
“The PDP Ekiti State chapter remains the lawful and beneficial owner of its state secretariat and stands resolute in defending its assets, its constitution, and its integrity. The rule of law must prevail.”
