The immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, was arraigned Monday before a Lagos Division of the Federal High Court over an 11-count charge of conspiracy and money laundering.
Fayose, and his company, Spotless Limited, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The judge, Mojisola Olatoregun, ordered that he be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and then adjourned till October 24 for hearing of his bail application.
According to the EFCC, Mr Fayose received ₦1.2 billion to fund his 2014 gubernatorial campaign in Ekiti State, a sum they said he ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act.
Fayose arrived at the court premises at about 8.30 a.m, accompanied by EFCC officials and armed police officers.
Femi Fani-Kayode, a former aviation minister and member of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, was also in court “to show solidarity”.
“I’m here to let people know that he’s not alone, I know what he’s going through because I’ve been there before,” Mr Fani-Kayode told journalists after the court sitting.
Mr Fani-Kayode said the federal government “has subjected every member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party to one form of persecution or another”.
