In a landmark judgment, the Federal High Court in Abuja has acquitted former Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, of all charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a protracted money laundering trial.
Delivering the ruling on Wednesday 16th July, 2025 the presiding judge upheld Fayose’s no-case submission, stating that the anti-graft agency failed to prove its allegations beyond reasonable doubt. The court emphasized that the prosecution could not establish a prima facie case that would warrant the former governor opening a defence, effectively terminating the legal proceedings.
Fayose had faced multiple counts of alleged financial impropriety and diversion of public funds amounting to billions of naira accusations stemming from his time as governor of Ekiti State between 2014 and 2018. The EFCC claimed the funds were laundered through various proxies and suspicious channels, but the court found that the evidence lacked the substance and credibility required to secure a conviction.
This judgment marks a significant legal victory for Fayose, a two-term governor and prominent figure in the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Reacting to the judgment, Fayose maintained that he had always been a victim of political persecution and expressed gratitude to the judiciary for upholding the rule of law.
Legal analysts have described the ruling as a major setback for the EFCC, raising fresh concerns about the agency’s prosecutorial preparedness in high-profile corruption cases. The case had dragged on for over five years, attracting public attention as a test of Nigeria’s anti-corruption resolve and judicial independence.
