More facts have emerged on why some Ekiti State executive council members and lawmakers were arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS).
They are being investigated for various allegations, including alleged murder, destruction of government property, tax evasion, fraudulent procurement of judgment, attacks on courts and judges, fraudulent diversion of reimbursement on federal roads, subversion of the electoral process, violence, among others.
The suspects are Commissioner for Finance Toyin Ojo; former Special Adviser on Revenue Matters Ropo Ogunjobi and four lawmakers-Afolabi Akanni (Efon), Musa Arogundade (Ado 1), Badejo Anifowose (Moba 2) and Sina Animashaun (Ekiti West 2).
The suspects and others yet to be arrested are also being investigated for their roles as “strikers” during the June 21, 2014, governorship election.
They are accused of carrying out attacks and pointing at opposition figures who were arrested to pave the way for rigging at various units.
A source told our reporter on Tuesday that Ojo was being questioned about the alleged receipt of N5.8 billion reimbursement from the Federal Government on the rehabilitation of federal roads, including the Ado-Ifaki Road.
The reimbursement on the project executed by the Kayode Fayemi administration was paid to the Ayo Fayose administration.
But it was not reflected in the 2015 budget speech presented by Fayose to seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers of the Fourth Assembly.
Ojo is also being grilled on the N2.4 billion Ecological fund received from the Federal Government but allegedly mismanaged, with records tendered at DSS showing that only N400 million was spent on ecological projects.
Our source also revealed that a lawmaker was being grilled for alleged murder during a political crisis in his hometown, assault on Justice John Ademola Adeyeye, presentation of a forged House of Representatives Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election result for Ekiti North 2, which produced Thaddeus Aina as the winner.
One of the aspirants, Cyril Fasuyi, presented evidence in court that a forged result was presented when no election was held with the lawmaker at the centre of the alleged fraud.
The lawmaker is also being investigated for blocking the highway during the violence that trailed an attempt by the APC lawmakers in the Fourth Assembly to impeach Fayose for alleged gross misconduct.
He is also under investigation for alleged complicity in the murder of Kareem Modupe (a.k.a. Eleyele) during a political crisis in Efon last year.
Kareem’s body is still in the mortuary.
DSS is also investigating him over a petition that he did not possess a valid senior school certificate, which is the minimum requirement to contest for a House of Assembly seat.
He was said to have stopped school in Form Three.
The source said: “When he was asked in DSS custody about where he had his secondary education, he said he attended a secondary school in Lagos, but he cannot remember the date.
“The lawmaker is being questioned for assaulting Justice Adeyeye alongside another aide of Fayose, who was rewarded with the position of Special Assistant.
“The day of the incident coincided with the first day of sitting of the Election Petition Tribunal when Fayose came to the court with a large number of his supporters but he missed his way, and a case was being heard at Justice Adeyeye’s court.
“Adeyeye advised him (Fayose) to control his supporters, but they assaulted him (Adeyeye) in the presence of witnesses. All these he will tell the DSS in the course of their investigation.”
The source also added that three lawyers in the Fayose administration are being investigated for allegedly masterminding an attack on Justice Isaac Olusegun Ogunyemi, who was hearing a suit filed by a group.
“Ogunyemi was to deliver a ruling to stay action on Fayose’s swearing-in, but these lawyers masterminded the sacking of the court by inviting hoodlums who carried out the attack. The DSS is looking into these cases hitherto buried,” the source said.
Another lawmaker is at the centre of a fraudulently procured judgment from the Federal High Court, Abuja in which a lawyer was hired for the candidate who won the Ado 1 primary, Odunayo Talabi (aka Arinka), without the latter’s knowledge.
The lawmaker sued PDP, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Talabi and secured an order to accept his nomination and reject Talabi’s candidacy.
Talabi’s name had appeared on the INEC list of candidates, and he had been given nomination form by the electoral agency.
Talabi petitioned INEC and other agencies, claiming he was not put on notice and did not hire any lawyer to represent him.
A key Assembly man is also under investigation for allegedly destroying seven ballot boxes during the House of Assembly election in Moba 1 after the results on the field showed that the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Babatunde Yinka, had won.
One of the officials is being grilled about N1.9 billion missing within one year.
The source said: “Huge sums of money are transferred into accounts he opened with two new generation banks in Ado-Ekiti.
“He is building a petrol station and has built a mansion in his hometown.
“He is expected to shed light on alleged fraudulent deals with a very senior government official, and he has been cooperating.”