The Ekiti Patriotic Consultative Forum (EPCF) has written to the Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), asking it to investigate and prosecute the former governor of the state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi for allegedly diverting public funds meant for the construction of the state’s abandoned cargo airport and other capital projects.
This was stated in a letter dated May 10, 2023, and addressed to the agency’s chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, requesting that the alleged fraudulent conduct of Fayemi and his cronies should be investigated.
These alleged scams include the allocation of fraudulent security votes for himself as governor, contract inflation, money laundering, and the theft of monies intended for the State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB) scheme.
In October 2022, the Cargo Airport in Ekiti State was officially opened by Fayemi. At 10.20 a.m., an ATR 42 from the Nigerian Air Force touched down on the airport’s runway. Dr. Fayemi claimed the airport was of a world-class standard, but the runaway is 3.2 km long and 60 metres wide.
“But it is disappointing to see that the Airport has not been finished several months after the ostensible inauguration. There hasn’t been a control tower yet.
“While the cargo apron is being built runway marking is still going on military jets land anywhere, according to Mr Sam Adurogboye, spokesperson for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) who admitted that the airport has not been finished. A military aircraft landing at the airport does not always indicate it is fully operational,” the statement added.
The group added that Ponti-Italware Nig Ltd. was paid N115,170,273.32 for earthwork for the New Governor’s Office, but the site was abandoned and little work was done.
The statement continued: “The contract for building the New Governor’s Office was awarded to Messrs Interkel Nig. Ltd. 12 Maitama Sule Street, Southwest Ikoyi, Lagos, on March 12014N2027,495,857.45 was the contract’s total estimated value; Out of the N608,248,757.24 (30%) mobilisation fee N100,000,000 was paid to the contractor with no results show for the payment 5.25 billion bond and 5 billion commercial bank loan.
“To fund capital projects, N25 billion was obtained from the capital market by Dr. Kayode Fayemi during his first term in office between the years 2010 and 2014. This was acquired in two instalments in October 2011 and January 2014, totalling N20 billion and N5 billion.
“The House of Assembly adopted the Bond Prospectus which was not followed since funds were moved to projects that weren’t stated in the Bond Prospectus For instance.
“N1 billion was allocated to build the Civic Centre but N1, 465,401,522.72 from the bond was used, leaving the project unfinished. Additionally, the State Pavilion which received N1,583,292,358 and the overall amount N1,457,945,445.44 was paid to the contractor went unfinished.
“Using Fountain Holdings Limited business with a N15 million share capital to obtain N5 billion loan on June 21, 2014 towards Governorship election in Ekiti State. It was stated that the N5 billion loan would be utilised to carry out major projects like road building since it was received from EcoBank without recourse to the Debt Management Office (DMO).
“Our inquiry is: Does Fountain Holdings Limited have the authority to carry out capital projects for the Ekiti State Government, such as road construction?
“The business’s share capital is N15m, thus we are perplexed as to how EcoBank could provide a N5bn loan to a company with N15m share capital without involving the DMO. Since the N5 billion has not yet been used, it is possible that the loan was taken to support Fayemi’s failed re-election campaign at the time.
“KOURIS Construction Nigeria Limited was given a contract on July 272012 to build a new government building. Initial contract payment was N2, 054,573,822.00.
“Curiously on October 102014-five days before Dr. Kayode Fayemi’s administration ended- another N730,186,636.87 contract for further work was given to the same business. It was said that the extra work was required as a consequence of errors in the project’s initial Bill of Quantities.
“Considering that a contract was awarded on July 27th, 2012, why wait until the last moment of the administration on October 102014, when there were five days left that the administration just realised that there were mistakes when the project’s first Bill of Quantities was computed.”
The forum also stated that road rehabilitation contracts were also given out at inflated prices.
In October 2022, SaharaReporters reported that several projects had not been completed at the airport.
It reported that the Air Traffic Control (ATC), which is one of the most important facilities in an airport, had not yet been completed.
SaharaReporters further reported that Fayemi deceived Ekiti people by bribing the Nigerian Air Force to release its fighter jet which could land anywhere by design.
“Nothing has been completed at the airport, only the runway was rushed so that the fighter jet could land there. No plane can land there for now except for the likes of the military jet which can land anyway by design. No control system yet. He bribed and used the Nigerian Air Force to deceive the public that he completed the airport and a military aircraft was deployed, flown by an Ekiti indigene.
“All the visitors that attended the swearing-in flew to Akure from where most were ferried to Ado-Ekiti by helicopter for the ceremony. The new governor didn’t attend the opening of the airport and upon being sworn in, he froze all the state accounts. For now, Fayemi only inaugurated it in his name; so another person doesn’t take the glory. It’s nowhere near completion at all,” a source had told SaharaReporters.
