24th June, 2016
Ayodele Fayose, the Ekiti State Governor, has revealed that a top management team of Zenith Bank Plc has begged him over the comment from the bank, denying they funded his election.
On Monday, Fayose named Zenith bank as one of those who sponsored his election in 2014.
In a bid to deny an allegation by the Federal Government that he benefited from the $2.1 billion arms money allegedly diverted during the immediate past administration of Goodluck Jonathan, the governor named the bank as his financiers.
The bank in return issued a statement claiming it was not part of the governors financiers.
However, in a statement by the governor which was signed by his spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, he said a top management team from the bank on Thursday evening met with him and begged him to let the matter be.
According to the statement, “Their visit to the governor followed a reported denial by the bank that it was not part of the funding of the election.”
“The team was led by an Executive Director, Sola Oladipo.
“It also had two zonal directors of the bank and the Ado-Ekiti branch manager.
“When accosted by newsmen, the ED said they only came to see the governor.
“Asked whether the bank really dissociated itself from the claim by the governor that it was part of the funding of the election, Shola could only mutter some inaudible words.
“He eventually said the spokesman for the bank was not on the team and could not say anything.
“While commenting on the development, Governor Fayose said the bank officials came to beg him over the issue.
“They were begging me and that the matter should not go beyond this level. I asked them why did they go to the EFCC to tell lies. Why did they have to lie that money came from the Office of the National Security Adviser? If the money is for me why did they have to link with me what is not,” Lere disclosed.