Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has told a Federal High Court in Lagos that he has no case to answer in the N6.9 billion fraud charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Fayose made this known through a no-case submission filed by his lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), a former Attorney General of the Federation. The submission was heard on Monday, May 20, by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, who adjourned the case till July 10, 2025, to give a ruling.
Fayose and Spotless Investment Limited, the second defendant, are facing 11 counts of stealing and money laundering filed by the EFCC. The anti-graft agency claims the money was misused during Fayose’s 2014 election campaign.
Agabi argued that the EFCC failed to prove a case against Fayose and noted that a key player, Abiodun Agbele, who was said to be involved in the transactions, was not charged in the case.
“The charges are weak,” Agabi said. “There was no co-conspirator charged with Fayose, and the offences listed don’t stand on their own.”
Olalekan Ojo (SAN), the lawyer for Spotless Investment Limited, also supported the no-case submission. He questioned the credibility of one of the EFCC witnesses, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, a former Minister of State for Defence.
Ojo told the court that Obanikoro had admitted there was no direct link between Fayose and the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, who allegedly released the funds. He also claimed that Obanikoro’s testimony was not reliable.
But EFCC prosecutor Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) disagreed. He said Fayose had serious questions to answer, especially regarding how the money was handled.
“If the money was clean, why didn’t he use his personal bank account?” Jacobs asked. He also said that Fayose used his associates to buy properties in Nigeria and abroad but later denied the purchases were in their names.
Jacobs added, “Obanikoro said Fayose personally asked for the funds in cash and introduced Agbele to collect them. That cannot be ignored.”
The court also granted Fayose permission to travel abroad for medical treatment after his lawyer made the request.
Fayose was first arraigned in 2018 before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, who later retired. The case was then transferred to Justice Aneke.
The EFCC alleges that Fayose received N1.2 billion and $5 million in cash from Obanikoro during his campaign. He was also accused of laundering over N1.6 billion through companies linked to him, such as De Privateer Ltd and Still Earth Ltd, which violates Nigeria’s anti-money laundering laws.
The court will rule on the no-case submission on July 10, 2025.
