by Malik Opeyemi

Take it or leave it, Ayodele Peter Fayose is a man many would love to hate and hate to love, if there was ever anyone that the saying “Cat with nine lives” aptly describes, then the Executive Governor of Ekiti state is your man!.

Having been unceremoniously sent packing from the Ekiti government house in 2006, based on allegations of diverting funds meant for poultry and sundry businesses, the Ekiti strongman went back, jumped ship from Pdp to Apc, and back to Pdp in 2014 to defeat then Incumbent Governor, Kayode Fayemi.

If the election in Ekiti were to be a football match, then the outcome would have indeed been tagged an upset, here was Fayemi, the glass-wearing, Grammar-blowing and seeming technocrat bursting with fresh ideas to take “Ekitians” to the proverbial promise land, on the other hand was Fayose, the amala -eating, okada-riding, ponmo-cutting politician who indeed knew the importance of grass root politicking and used it to his advantage.

I wasn’t surprised at the result of the election, although marred by several controversies ranging from ballot snatching and snuffing, to restriction of movement of opposition political heavy weight, of course, allegedly with the active connivance of the police and Army.

In fact, an audio conversation was passed around in various social media after the elections, where the then Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, Ayo Fayose and some military personnel allegedly played active albeit illegal roles in ensuring the victory of Fayose, the rest they say is History, or so we thought.

Fast forward to 2016, Civil servants in Ekiti state sometimes in June, embarked on an indefinite strike citing non payment of salaries as their reason.

The Governor was quick in appealing to them to resume work stating the economic situation of the country, bearing in mind that several other states including Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesolas’ Apc state of Osun amongst others are faced with the same challenge.

Fayose even told the striking workers that he himself was broke and if he was sold, his market value could not pay their salaries implying that he had little or no money to his name, he therefore offered to go on strike with them in solidarity.

Gov Fayose is well known for his theatrical performances but nobody imagined he would take it to that absurd level!.

Then, as if the EFCC was waiting for him to speak about his financial status, they promptly confronted him with allegations of having the sum of #4.5billion in his Zenith bank account allegedly received from the office of the National security Adviser for Election purpose.

Fayose claims the money in question was not from Dasukis’ NSA but that it was Zenith bank who bankrolled his Election, so, the Drama begins!

Zenith bank denied funding Fayoses’ election but he remained adamant, in a twist to the ongoing Drama, some pictures and videos surfaced online some few days back showing two men in suit, complete with red tie in a meeting with Gov Fayose purpoted to be members of staff of Zenith bank.

Another picture showed another man in suit but on black/blue tie kneeling down, an action which the Fayose camp tagged as Zenith bank begging him to forget the issue.

Many questions arise, Did Fayose collect money from Dasuki as alleged by the EFCC? Did Zenith bank fund fayose’s Election as alleged by Gov Fayose? Are the men in suit in the meeting with Gov Fayose staff of Zenith bank? If yes! What really was their mission?.

Another question is this, can the EFCC try Gov Fayose now as Governor of a state with some level of immunity or will have to wait for the expiration of his Tenure.

Supporters of the Governors have accused the EFCC of being the attack Dog of the APC Government ready to bite members of the opposition party(PDP), whatever happens, what remains to be seen is how the ‘ Cat with Nine lives’ will escape this time around if indeed he is Guilty of charges of corruption against him.

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Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija

Malik opeyemi joseph tweets at @opsymalik and can be reached via [email protected]