Court Summons EFCC Over Freezing of Fayose's Account

Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose

 

The Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has dragged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Zenith Bank Plc to court over the freezing of his accounts.

 

The case was filed on Tuesday on behalf of Fayose by constitutional lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), at the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti. Subsequently, the court has ordered the EFCC to appear before it.

 

The Court ordered that the EFCC and Zenith Bank should appear before it on July 4 to show cause why Fayose’s demands on the freezing of his accounts should not be granted.

 

Fayose is seeking the de-freezing of the accounts. The EFCC had alleged that the accounts were used in receiving about N4.7 billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser.

 

The anti-graft agency said its investigation traced the fund to part of that used for the prosecution of the election that produced Fayose as governor in 2014.

 

Governor Ayodele Fayose had on Tuesday asked a Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti to order the EFCC to lift the restriction order placed on his accounts 1003126654 and 9013074033 in the Zenit bank. But, the court deferred ruling on the mandatory order and ordered the EFCC to appear before it to explain on whose powers it acted on.

 

Fayose through his lawyer, Mr Mike Ozekhome(SAN), had through an ex parte order deposed to on the 24th of June, 2016 by Bimpe Olatemiju sought a mandatory order unfreezing the accounts belonging and operated by him pending the determination of his interlocutory application .

 

Joined in the suit are the EFCC (1st defendant) and Zenith bank (2nd defendant). 

 

The order was supported by 18-paragraph affidavit , a lone Exhibit, which was a letter issued to Governor Fayose by Zenith bank confirming that the EFCC actually placed a restriction order on the accounts and a written address.