A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Tuesday cleared former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, of all charges related to a N2.2 billion money laundering case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), effectively ending a years-long legal saga.
The presiding judge upheld Fayose’s no-case submission, ruling that the prosecution failed to present credible evidence to warrant the continuation of the trial. According to the court, the EFCC was unable to make a prima facie case against the former governor, thus eliminating any legal basis for the trial to proceed.
Fayose, who governed Ekiti State between 2014 and 2018, was facing an 11-count charge related to allegations of receiving ₦2.2 billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) during the 2014 governorship election. The anti-corruption agency claimed the funds, which were earmarked for security operations, were diverted for personal use.
The lengthy trial featured a series of legal motions, delays, and multiple appearances in court, with the EFCC insisting on Fayose’s culpability. However, the judge concluded that the evidence brought forward was not strong enough to move the case beyond the current stage, thereby granting Fayose’s request to dismiss the charges without having to open his defence.
This development follows a series of recent high-level engagements between Fayose and key figures in the All Progressives Congress (APC) government. Weeks prior to the judgment, Fayose met with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja during a private session that also included former PDP governors Nyesom Wike (now FCT Minister), Samuel Ortom (Benue), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia).
Before that meeting, Fayose had also paid a courtesy visit to President Tinubu in Lagos during the Sallah celebrations on June 9. After the visit, Fayose told reporters he came to show support for the president, whom he described as a capable leader deserving of bipartisan backing.
Despite his membership in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Fayose publicly expressed his faith in Tinubu’s leadership, stating that he had always respected Tinubu’s political acumen, even during their time as state governors. He further praised the president’s early economic interventions, calling for national unity in supporting the administration’s efforts.
Meanwhile, Chronicles Reporters had previously reported on June 25, 2025, that concerns were growing over an alleged plan by the federal government to quietly shut down the case against Fayose. Insider sources at the time revealed that key government operatives were working behind the scenes to undermine the prosecution, despite what they described as strong evidence of financial misconduct.
The EFCC had maintained that Fayose unlawfully received public funds to the tune of ₦2.2 billion and channeled the money into private accounts rather than campaign-related expenditures. The case, registered as Charge No: FHC/L/353C/2018, was among the most high-profile trials pursued by the commission in recent years.
With the court now throwing out the case, questions are already being raised about the independence of prosecutorial decisions and the possible influence of political connections in high-stakes corruption cases in Nigeria.
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