Fayose Orders State To Close All Accounts, Zenith Bank May Sack Workers From Ekiti

Ekiti State Man Of The People, Ayo Fayose has ordered
the state to stop transacting business with Zenith Bank.
The action is not unconnected with the face-off between
him and Zenith on the freezing of his personal accounts
domicilled in the bank by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to a circular from the Office of the Accountant
General on Tuesday, all Ministries, Departments and
Agencies (MDAs) must comply with the order within 48
hours.
The circular was addressed to the head of Service,
permanent secretaries, general managers, administrative
secretaries, heads of Non-Ministerial Departments and
agencies and tertiary institutions.
The MDAs and institutions have begun implementation
of the order to meet up with the deadline.
The circular, which was signed by the Accountant
General, Mrs. O.O. Owolabi, is titled: “Stoppage of
banking relationship with the Zenith Bank Plc.”
It reads: “The state government has directed immediate
stoppage of all banking relationships with Zenith Bank.
“All Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are
expected to adhere strictly to this instruction and sever
transaction with the bank within 48 hours.
“By extension, workers’ salaries cease to be remitted to
salary accounts domicilled with the bank forthwith. They
are, therefore, advised to supply alternative bank
accounts with their respective MDAs for transmission to
this office within 60 days.
“Kindly, give the contents of this circular the widest
publicity it deserves. The governor is poised to address
the state on the matter in due course. Thank you.”
The fear of job loss has gripped Ekiti indigenes working
in the bank, especially the main Ado-Ekiti branch on
Secretariat Road and the campus branch at Ekiti State
University (EKSU).
The workers are apprehensive of a repeat of the backlash
of Fayose’s strained relationship with Ecobank, which
led to the shutdown of the bank’s two branches.
Ecobank sacked scores of Ekiti indigenes following the
government’s crackdown, and closed its operations.
The EFCC on May 24 froze two Zenith Bank accounts
belonging to Fayose for alleged laundering of about N1.2
billion believed to be part of the arms fund from the ex-
National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki
(retd.)
The cash was allegedly released to the governor to fund
his campaign in the 2014 governorship election.
Fayose claimed Zenith Bank funded his campaign but the
bank denied the allegation.
The governor sued the EFCC and the bank at the Federal
High Court, Ado-Ekiti, seeking an order to de-freeze the
account, which the court declined.
The matter was adjourned till September 30.

[The Nation]