The Ekiti state government has dismissed the report by Sahara Reporters that the Ekiti state governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose and his family have been banned from travelling to the United States based on corruption.

A statement signed by the Governor’s Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka said such report is baseless, untrue and another lie from the pit of hell.

Olayinka said: “My attention has been drawn to the latest mischief from one of the All Progressives Congress (APC) propaganda organs, Sahara Reporters that the Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose and his immediate family members were barred from traveling to the United States of America (USA) and I  wish to state that this is another lie from the pit of hell”.

He stated that, “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”, Olayinka said.

He continued that: “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)”.

Olayinka concluded that: “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.
However, I wish to let Sahara Reporters and its sponsors know that
Governor Fayose is undeterred. He will continue to speak on the
policies of the President Mohammadu Buhari’s APC government.
The Jankara propaganda medium did more than this before the 2014
election and its sponsors lost woefully.
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”.