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 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 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 percent of the attention being given 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.”
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