Ex- Commissioner sues Fayose for libel, seeks N20bn compensation

Former Commissioner for Finance in Ekiti State, Mr. Dapo Kolawole, has filed a N20bn suit against Governor Ayodele Fayose and two of his aides for alleged libel.

Joined in the suit are the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance; the Attorney General of the Federation, the Accountant General of the Federation, Central Bank of Nigeria and the Debt Management Office.

Also joined are the acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission; Secretary to Ekiti State Government, the state’s Accountant General and Commissioner for Finance.

In the suit filed before a Federal High Court, Abeokuta, Kolawole is praying the court for an order that the outstanding sum of N11bn being awaited as refunds from the Federal Government on Ado-Ifaki Road should not be given to the Fayose administration as the road was constructed by the Kayode Fayemi regime.

Kolawole is demanding damages of N10bn each from Fayose’s spokesman, Lere Olayinka and a House of Assembly member for alleged criminal libel and defamation statement they made against him on a television and radio programme.

The two officials had claimed that Fayemi and Kolawole plunged the state into N85bn debt that would not be liquidated until 2036.

Other prayers of Kolawole include an order mandating the EFCC to investigate the circumstances for the diversion and breach of the appropriation laws of Ekiti State through the cancellation of the original contract – the Ikere-Iju-Ondo boundary dualisation, without first ensuring that all laws and process of the Ekiti State Government were strictly adhered to.

He is also seeking an order directing the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to investigate the road contract relating to Ikere-Iju-Ondo Boundary Road, the cancellation and breach of the appropriation laws of Ekiti State, and stop further payments or reimbursement that is due on the Ikere Township Dualisation or Ikere-Iju-Ondo Boundary Dualisation, a contract validly awarded to China Railway 3 to cover the Ikere-Iju-Ondo Boundary Dualisation.

Kolawole also asked the court to grant him an “order directing that any further disbursement of bailout funds, Paris Club, grants or other reimbursement due to Ekiti State, being Federal Government’s palliatives, shall be disbursed directly through a committee of the EFCC, AGF, Federal Ministry of Finance, state’s Accountant General and Auditor General as well as the Auditor General for Local Government of Ekiti State.”

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )