ALLEGED FRAUD: Fayose’s aide, Lere Olayinka, accuses Gov Fayemi of persecuting him

Media aide to Ayodele Fayose, a former governor of Ekiti State, Lere Olayinka, has claimed that his detention by the police and arraignment for alleged fraud was the usual political persecution that can never get someone like him intimidated and silenced.

He said it was funny that the same way he was persecuted, arrested, detained and tried for sedition in 2012, during the first tenure of Governor Kayode Fayemi was the way he was being persecuted now.

Olayinka was arrested and arraigned on Wednesday on a three-count charge of abuse of office, stealing and fraud at the Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court by the police in Ekiti State.

The police prosecutor, Insp. Johnson Okunade, told the court that the defendant committed the offence between 2014 and 2018 at the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State.

He alleged that the defendant abused his office when he failed to remit commercial revenue of N13.5 million accruing to the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti to the state government coffers.

But in a statement later on Wednesday, Olayinka advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) government in Ekiti State to focus on how to address its glaring non-performance instead of running after perceived opposition figures.

He said, “I was invited by the police and I willingly honoured the invitation because I have nothing to hide.

“It is however funny that after the police had agreed to grant me administrative bail yesterday and I was ready to meet the bail conditions, the State Government put pressure on the police, seeking the invocation of ‘Form K’ to allow for my detention for two months.

“Whatever they planned to achieve with this, I can say it boldly that they have failed and I will never be harassed to submission.

“I am used to their tactics and like it happened eight years ago, tyranny will be defeated again.

READ ALSO: Media aide to Fayose, Lere Olayinka arrested, arraigned

“I thank Nigerians who showed concern and I assure that I won’t succumb to tyranny.

“As for those who rejoiced over my detention with the belief that the perfected plan to have me remanded in prison custody indefinitely will succeed, especially those in the camp of Senator Biodun Olujimi in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, now that your joy has been short-lived, what else?”

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