FG Spending $321m Abacha’s Loot to Fund Election, Says Ekiti Deputy Gov

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

As Ekiti electorate go to the poll Saturday to elect another governor that will succeed Governor Ayodele Fayose, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, has accused the federal government of moving part of the $321m recovered from the late Abacha family to fund the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Olusola, who is the incumbent deputy governor, said about $50m of the recovered loot was moved from Abuja in a chartered flight through Akure Airport to Ekiti in two bullion vans to support the APC candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
The Director, Media and Publicity of Kolapo Olusola Campaign
Organisation, Lere Olayinka, raised this alarm in Ado Ekiti yesterday.

He said: “We called you here to intimate the public through your various media organisations of the movement of huge cash by the federal government to Ekiti State for the Saturday election.
“Last week Saturday, two bullion vehicles were moved to the Akure Airport to evacuate cash brought from Abuja by a chattered flight.

“The flight landed when it was raining and all staff of the airport were barred from going near the aircraft while the cash was evacuated into the two bullion vehicles.

“After offloading the huge cash, the bullion van first moved to the Ondo State Government House in Akure from where they left for Isan Ekiti, the hometown of the APC governorship candidate”

Olusola claimed that preliminary findings indicated that N2.5bn cash was transferred by the Kebbi State Government to an account in UBA, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja. It was withdrawn immediately and moved with a private jet to Akure.
“Also, apart from the N2.5 billion, another $50m (about N18bn) was taking from the $321m recovered from the late Abacha family.

“Our question is, how can a government that claimed to be fighting corruption release billions of naira from the public coffers for the governorship election of a single state? Where is their fight against corruption?”

Olusola called on Nigerians to note this wanton looting of public fund by the APC government to fund election of its members.

“We must tell Fayemi and his APC that the conscience of the people of Ekiti cannot be purchased and we call on the people of Ekiti to resist the planned use of stolen fund to buy their votes of Saturday.” he added.