EKITI State Governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, has described the report that he and his immediate family members were barred from travelling to the United States of America as the latest mischief from one of the All Progressives Congress (APC) propaganda organs, Sahara Reporters, saying, “I wish to state that this is another lie from the pit of hell.”
The Governor, in a press release, signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Mr Lere Olayinka Even said: “Even though I am not unmindful of the fact that Sahara Reporters and its Jankara brand of journalism should not attract the attention of sane minds, I feel oblige to set the records straight.
“Governor Fayose has travelled to the US only twice in his life and since he became governor, he has not had any reason to apply for US visa since he became governor in 2014, not to talk of being restricted from traveling to the country.
“It is on record that during the governor’s trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the court ordered that his international passport be deposited with the court. When the passport was released to him in 2009, he applied to the US embassy for the renewal of his visa and the embassy denied him of the renewal on the premise that he was still under trial.
“Governor Fayose won the EFCC case in 2014 and not only that he was discharged and acquitted, N10 million cost was awarded against the EFCC.
“The records in FRN Vs Mr. Ayodele Fayose, Charge. No. FHC,. L.. 179c, 2006 and the ruling discharging and acquiting the governor delivered on October 30, 2014 by Hon. Justice Adamu Hobon are there for anyone to see.
“Contrary to the lies from Sahara Reporters the governor’s sons still have USA visa valid till March 2017 while that of his wife will expire this year. His wife and children travel to the USA regularly and they were in the USA during the last summer. Records of their trips to the US are there for anyone to verify.
“It is shameful that Sahara Reporters can elevate its ‘Boolekaja journalism’ to the ridiculous level of dropping the name of the US President Barack Obama with the governor’s application for visa renewal of 2009 (seven years ago).
“It is even more shameful that Sahara Reporters opted to be silent over the fact that the election won by Governor Fayose was applauded by the US and the immediate past US ambassador to Nigeria visited the governor before and after he was elected.
“This latest effort of Sahara Reporters is diversionary and just a ploy to get at the governor because of his criticism of the President Mohammadu Buhari led APC government, but the governor is undeterred.
“It is another of their cheap blackmail to divert the attention of Nigerians from the APC led government’s inability to deliver on their electoral promises.
“It should be noted that the Jankara propaganda medium did more than this before the 2014 election and its sponsors lost woefully. It has also been lying against the governor consistently, going to the ridiculous level of lying that the governor’s son was arrested in Dubai.
“Invasion of Ekiti State by the armed men of the Department of State Services (DSS) failed, police invasion also failed, this renewed effort at maligning Governor Fayose by Sahara Reporters, the APC’s agent of falsehood is definitely dead on arrival.”
