The Nation Newspaper

Category: Ekiti 2018

  • Hurray! the Ekiti governorship election is a week away

    It is  exactly a week to the Ekiti governorship election and the worst offence  I believe  any freeborn  Ekiti , with the privilege of a forum like I have courtesy this column can commit, this last Sunday before the election, is to afghanistise, or write on topics far removed from that historic event.

    But first, let me crave my editor’s indulgence to kindly publish this article in its entirety though it is about twice my allowed space.

    I am much obliged.

    I am, therefore, as a concerned Ekiti citizen, and a member of the STRATEGY committee of the John Kayode Fayemi Campaign, even at the risk of repetition, devoting this column today, to reproducing a seminal article authored by Wole Olujobi, the hardworking JKF campaign Director of Media and Publicity, in which he interrogated, to the minutest detail, the four years of Governor Fayemi as governor of Ekiti, 2010 – 2014. The objective is to enable the Ekiti electorate draw a clear distinction between the two academic giants representing the two leading parties – APC and PDP – in the election scheduled for July 14, 2018, and thus be able to vote wisely, especially if he/she is interested in the state’s development.

    While I am doing this for Dr John Kayode Fayemi of the APC, it is my hope that somebody, on the other side, will be perspicacious enough to equally let the Ekiti electorate know what the PDP candidate, Professor Sola Kolapo Eleka, has done for the state in the course of his three and a half years service.

    So critical, in my view, is this exercise, which I have described elsewhere, as a sine qua non, that I have suggested to our candidate that we should have the article translated to a language all Ekiti citizens will understand as well as have it run severally before D-Day on radio, TV and the print media. This should be more urgent in the case of the PDP candidate who, besides having never functioned as a state chief executive, has the added incubus that he cannot be quoted on many key governance issues beyond talking about continuity. So monotonous has this ‘continuity’ overuse become it has led to people asking questions like: is it continuity as in a cannibalised Ikogosi Resort? Is it continuity as in school enrolment which under Fayemi was 98% but now has so plummeted Ekiti State ranks lowest among Southwest states? Or is it continuity as in the Ikogosi-based Gossy Water that is now history?

    I just hope Professor Eleka will appreciate, and commend my drawing his attention to this crucial inevitability.

    However, because we want to come to equity with clean hands, Professor Eleka is permitted to treat Governor Fayose’s achievements as his own. That way, we’ll have a level playing field and a better basis for comparison.

    So let’s go.

    Back then to the piece by Olujobi. Such is the quintessence with which it captured the four years of Governor Fayemi’s administration  that  I’d like to enjoin the reader, whether of  Ekiti extraction, or not, to read it with some solemnity in order to  appreciate, and internalise,  how much an individual with a conscience can, in public office,  positively impact society .

    Happy reading.

    FAYEMI’S ‘FIRSTS IN EKITI DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

    By Wole Olujobi.

    He wrote, mutatis mutandis:

    In the last three weeks, I have had the rare opportunity of traversing the length and breadth of Ekiti State to see, first-hand, the progress, if any, in the development  programmes of the Ayo Fayose-led government.  Worthy of note is that rather  than a leap in development  to add to the accomplishments of former Governor Kayode Fayemi, what I saw  was a reversal of  the state’s fortunes.

    Besides the over-priced 800-metre fly-over show that glitters in the night, all parts of the state are perfumed  in pitch darkness, and our people are daily  at the mercy of night marauders  who stalk residents without let.

    Infrastructural development has grinded to a halt just as economic development initiatives are zero. Health services are priced above the table, poverty is on all fours, while social services have taken  flight.

    Just like in make-shift props for quick-fix solutions to endemic problems, big  lies are now employed as soothing balms   to malignant problems for what has become an unquestioning Ekiti society.

    Everywhere across the state, the socio-economic development brakes that screeched to a thunderous halt on October 15, 2014, remain locked on the same spot.

    Curiously ,  all these negativities are dressed  up as heroic accomplishments,  never  before seen in the state that  the unwary. could  still believe in the make-believe story  that Ekiti State has become an El Dorado. As you read this, but for the Debt Management office, the state debts, like its  Internally Generated revenue, would still have been  shrouded in secrecy, even though it has since climbed to N115B from the N18B Fayemi left on his exit in October, 2014.

    In contradistinction , within a year of his assumption of office, which was a record achievement,  then Governor  Fayemi not only disclosed the state’s revenue profile, he  upped the state’s monthly IGR substantially from N109M to N600M. He achieved this,  not by imposing fresh taxes on the people like governor Fayose did. Nor did he increase the existing  taxes; rather, all he did was block leakages in the state’s finances.

    For the first time ever, Ekiti State in November 2011, adopted visits to  all Local  government Areas for budget planning purposes during which visit every town  presented their preferred three projects to be incorporated in the year’s  budget,  and subsequently, for those that could not be accommodated in the current  year.

    For the first time in the state, a total of 183 secondary schools, and 836 primary schools were renovated, and furnished.

    Forty eight thousand (48,000) laptops were distributed to students and teachers in Ekiti State schools while additional 25,000 pieces were ordered, making it the first time in the state that information and computer technology would receive such a boost. This  yielded dividends  far beyond imagination as manifested in the tremendous improvement in  the 2013 WAEC result in the state. This initiative was long  before JAMB changed  its examinations  to a computer-based system, thus giving Ekiti  students  a head start.

    For the first time in Ekiti State too , teachers received 25 per cent of their pay as  core subjects and rural posting allowances in addition to their monthly  salaries.

    Across the state, and also for the first time, five mini-water treatment plants were commissioned while new pipes were laid to replace the old ones, with 167 modern water fetching points,  nick named  Eyiyato Fetching Points,  constructed in various communities across the 16 LGAs to ease the  hardship of  water shortage while in September 2013,  governor Fayemi signed the Water and Sanitation Bill into Law, marking the first time for such initiative. The percentage of water supply in the state  rose to 52% as against the 25% in place on  his assumption of office in 2010. This  comprehensive approach to water supply crisis increased the state’s rating as one of the  two  best states in the water sector in the country.

    Also, for the first time ever, in the history of  the West African sub-region, 20,000 elderly people were paid a  N5,000 monthly stipend as social security,  while by October 2013, during  his Third Year Anniversary, another 5,000 senior citizens were added to the scheme while the wife of the governor, for the first time in the history of Ekiti State, made sure that no elderly person in the state went to bed hungry. She did that through her Food Bank Programme where the elders were served cooked food in special kitchens across the state.

    All general hospitals in the state were fully rehabilitated  and two new ones were built while 728.365 kilometres of both Federal and state roads were constructed in addition to the 81.2 kilometres constructed in all local governments under the 5 Kilometre Road-per-local-government scheme, the first time that local governments would undertake such initiative backed by the state government.  As much as 902.565 kilometres of Federal, State and Local Government roads were rehabilitated, re-constructed and constructed to last decades unlike in the past where new roads collapsed barely a year  after commissioning.

    Women were empowered through small business schemes while Affirmative Action took root in Ekiti State with many women appointed into senior government positions. The First Lady, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, a U N honour recipient for her role in women empowerment in Africa,  brought relief to mothers of triplets through her Multiple Birth Trust Fund where financial assistance and baby items were given to them while also strengthening women empowerment schemes through her gender empowerment programme.

    Fayemi’s administration enacted  a law banning discrimination against women and all forms of violence against women, as well as enacting a law banning abuses against children.

    For the first time too, many communities that had existed for over 200 years without electricity, such as Oke-Ako in Ikole Local Government, were connected to the national grid while many communities were opened up through construction of rural roads and culverts.

    Hundreds of Ekiti youths, which included a trained medical doctor – turned farmer,  were engaged in commercial agriculture under the Youth Commercial Agriculture Development Programme (YCAD) and 117,000 farmers were registered to benefit from the ADP programme.

    For the first time, Ekiti State had both the largest cassava productivity (yield/Ha) and cultivation.. Yield was above national average at 15T/Ha (national average was 12T/Ha).

    Ekiti also had the largest expansion in cultivation in the country in 2012 with the addition of over 1,150Ha by YCAD Programme alone.

    As at October 2013, YCAD critical objective had started to manifest, as Ekiti State had the highest yield in cassava in the country.

    In an amazing manner, Ekiti State started  producing water melon and carrot which were,  hitherto,  exclusive produce from the Northern states.

    750Ha of land was cultivated under the Rice Expansion Programme, where government supported farmers with 100% input for production. 2013 operation alone was aimed at achieving 3,000Ha capacity and government also flagged off N600 million irrigation project under which Ero and Itapaji dams  provided 1,700 hectares of irrigated land.

    For the first time, there was a joint constituency project in irrigation by the three Senators representing Ekiti State with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO). The irrigated land was at Itapaji and served from Itapaji dam, which also served Iyemero and Gede farm settlements while  that of Ero dam was planned to serve Ikosun, Igogo and Ewu farm settlements.

    To restore cocoa to its prime position as the main cash crop as was the case in the First Republic, 150,000 cocoa seedlings were distributed to 15,000 farmers in 2013.

    For the first time, over 2000 school children and infants in Erijiyan – Ekiti were administered with 137,442 doses of Praziquantel pill to prevent Schisostomiasis, a water-borne disease prevalent in the area.

    In his health programme, no fewer than 400,000 Ekiti indigenes were treated under the free health mission programme during the seven editions across the state while the free health programme of Fayemi’s healthcare took care of the health needs of about 48% of children under five years, pregnant women, the disabled and elderly above 65 years.

    For the first time, another brand of free health mission called ‘Ilera Laafin’ was instituted, which took health missions to the palaces of the traditional rulers and their chiefs, even as more than N130 million was spent on the health care needs of indigent patients for various operations and provision of artificial limbs by the government.

    For the first time, a cancer care centre, the Funmi Adunni Olayinka Diagnostic and Wellness Centre, was established for early detection of cancer and cancer-related ailments to prevent avoidable death, even as the Ministry of Health conducted free medical screening for breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men.

    And for the first time, Fayemi’s giant strides in the health sector increased antenatal attendance from 15,254 in 2010 to 79,104 in 2012, reduction of infant mortality rate to 98 per 1000 (the lowest in the country where national average is 189 per 1000) while maternal mortality dropped to 250/100,000 (National average is 545 per 100,000), getting Ekiti and two other states certified as having met the 2015 MDGs health goals.

    From its decrepit state before he became the governor, Fayemi within three years developed Ikogosi Warm Spring Resort into one of the top seven of the natural hospitality destinations in Nigeria and for the first time, an elite Knowledge Zone was also established within the facility for advanced studies in various fields.

    As at 2014, there were 781 completed projects, 558 on-going projects and 134 community projects initiatives on ground. Altogether, there were 1,473 completed and on-going projects in the state from October 2010- October 2013. As revealed during the present campaign, all uncompleted community projects remain exactly where they were at governor Fayemi’s exit in 2014; not a single block has been added to at uncompleted building project since 2014.

    According to the Human Development Report (2012), Ekiti State, for the first time, was described as the most conducive environment to live, for long and healthy living with a life expectancy average of 55 years which was higher than the National Life expectancy average of 50 years.

    Ekiti also had the lowest infant and maternal mortality rate and the lowest HIV/AIDS infection rate in the country while the state had the highest pupils’ enrolment relative to Nigeria’s population and it had the least out-of-school children (less than 2%) in Nigeria.

    For his development and leadership style, Fayemi won ‘Governor of the Year 2012 Award’ for the first time by the Leadership Newspapers on September 18, 2012. He was also named the Governor of The Year 2013 by Champion Newspaper. All these were confirmed in September 2013 when the United Nations invited Fayemi to its session on the basis that his state had met many of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), also for the first time in the history of Ekiti State.

    For the first time, SAMSUNG Corporation awarded ‘Best Governor in Africa’ honour to Fayemi for investing heavily in education, while the London Economist’s report on governance in Ekiti State said: “Better governance is creeping beyond the metropolis. When your correspondent e-mails the governor of Ekiti State in impoverished central Nigeria he gets a reply within minutes, with the entire cabinet copied in and being told to assist with a visit.

    “After a six-hour drive north, seven interviews across the capital, Ado Ekiti, are arranged in the space of a few hours. Cabinet members are mostly foreign-educated and highly motivated and have private-sector experience. A new employment agency sends out job advertisements by text message. All secondary-school pupils are getting free laptops with solar panels.”

    For the first time, the state’s official twitter of the Ekiti State Government-@ekitistategov had the highest number of visitors among the states that had accounts on the social media in Nigeria.

    It had 11,624 followers as at September 30, 2013 and it was a platform where the government kept its citizens aware of its programmes.

    Fayemi knew the importance of a knowledge-based economy and he embarked on a venture of making Ekiti the Silicon Valley of Nigeria through Information and Communications Technology with the laying of fibre optics around the state for high speed internet access to homes and offices at affordable price, including wi-fi hot spot around many business areas in the state.

    All these gains, which Fayemi hopes to strengthen if he is elected governor on July 14, 2018, have been reversed in the last three and half years by Fayose who is planning to sustain the tempo of that destruction through a continuity agenda by his proxy, Prof Olusola Eleka, the governorship candidate of PDP.

    Will Ekiti people support the agenda that will reverse their fortune and which holds no promise for their future?

    That is a question to be resolved by millions of eager  Ekiti people thirsting for a government that would no longer arrest the state’s overall development.(concluded)

    Let me now conclude by saying that I feel positive, and cocksure that, having now tasted both sides of the political divide, and seeing the differences between the two very clearly, peace and development loving Ekiti people will, enthusiastically, elect Dr John Kayode Folorunso Fayemi, on Saturday, 14 July, 2018, for development.

     

  • Ekiti 2018: They’ve to get it right. Plus endangered broadcasters: after the Channels TV presenters, who next?

    ON July 14th, 2018 Ekiti will decide. Justice Oathman Musa this past week dismissed a suit against Dr. Kayode Fayemi the All Progress Congress APC governorship candidate. The judge declared Dr. Fayemi constitutionally qualified to contest any election, and hold any public office. He ruled that citizens can only be indicted by courts of law, and only after fair trial.

    Several litigants (including one person who is also an APC chieftain and whose suit is pending) had gone to court to seek Dr. Fayemi’s disqualification. This they premised on a ban and indictment by a government white paper issued by the Fayose administration.

    For now, from all indications, most of the legal hurdles have been cleared – but fear over the polls still exists.

    Governor Ayo Fayose recently raised alarm over the neutrality or otherwise of the electoral umpire, INEC. The Ekiti Governor who is of the People’s Democratic Party PDP had alleged that some INEC officials had been contacted by some APC members to tamper with the Smart Card Readers ahead of the elections to favour the immediate past Governor and APC governorship candidate.

    The electoral commission has come out with a full denial and with explanations on the practical impossibility of such an act.

    Six days age Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC National Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu gave detailed explanations showing that it is not possible for the commission officials or even any individual or group pre-load a Smart Card Reader. He also said it is impossible for anyone to provide ballet papers for stuffing ballot boxes.

    Essentially, INEC is saying that card readers can only function on an election day. In addition, a new INEC form has been introduced to the voting system to show election results AT THE POLLING UNITS, apart from the Result Sheets that are issued to party agents at polling units after every election.

    The new FORM EC60E is pasted at EVERY polling unit after collation. The electoral commission says no staff of INEC can rig an election because of the stringent processes and the safeguards that have been introduced by the commission.

    This should put Ekiti Governor Fayose at ease, and also ease the mind of the Deputy Governor Prof. Kolapo Olusola who is the PDP governorship candidate, as well as all other Ekiti governorship aspirants.

    With INEC ready and with just six short days to go, by this time next week the winner would most likely be known………….. Still, there is just this uneasiness, this unsettling feeling, this slight dread. It all boils down to security.

    Is the safety of the voters guaranteed?

    The sceptre of election violence and fracas as happened in the past, still comes to mind at election times. Who would want to go out and get himself or herself attacked and wounded just for going to carry out his civic duty? One would rather gladly forfeit that right in order to secure one’s safety, even one’s life.

    Violence recorded at elections is troubling.

    The Ekiti State police command has duly assured the safety of Ekiti citizens as they go to the polls.

    I am not from Ekiti State, but THAT SATURDAY EKITI ELECTION IS GOING TO BE THE POINTER FOR THE 2019 GENERAL ELECTIONS.

    Altogether, I would want all concerned to Get It Right ,This Time.

    That statement from the INEC Chief Press Secretary ends this way:

    “We also wish to assure ALL NIGERIANS that INEC is committed to a free, fair and credible governorship election in Ekiti State on July 14 AND indeed THE 2019 GENERAL ELECTIONS (capitals, mine).Sounds Great.

    After the Channels TV Presenters, who next?

    The long drawn-out trial of the former PDP spokesman Olisa Metuh took yet another unexpected twist this past week, with the long arm of the law reaching way, way out. Metuh who is always in very good health otherwise, mysteriously falls grievously ill each time his money laundering case comes up for mention. Olisa Metuh then oscillates between his pick of shock entrances – crutches, wheelchair, stretchers; the works. Thus, his trial is made even more sensational by all the drama.

    But that is not where I am going here.

    This time in this sensational case, an ‘exhibit’ – the recording of a television breakfast show was presented in court and upon viewing it the trial judge, to put it mildly, lost his temper. He asked that more copies of the “offensive” recording be made available (10 more copies); worse, he asked that the presenters be brought to court for questioning!

    As a matter of fact I was not a little worried when I heard this till I saw Chamberlain Usoh on the news, about mid-morning on Wednesday.

    The position of the judge is that the questions and comments made during the program where wrong, as the case in question is still in court, and so is ‘sub-judice’. This to me, is incredible.

    Now, a television broadcast on a broadcast channel, especially on a news station is ever going to be segmented, and it is the function of the broadcast station to keep to the core mandate.

    It is common knowledge that this includes – to educate, to inform, and also to entertain. Or how would it possibly sound if every time you turned on your television, you heard something like this:

    v             Fifty people were killed in Benue State on Monday by suspected herdsmen.

    v             Sixty-five people were killed in Benue State on Tuesday by suspected herdsmen.

    v             Eighty-eight people were killed yesterday in Benue ….. And on and on that way!

    No! These are piece of information, they are news items given for the purpose of information.

    At this point, every reasonable mind would start thinking- what could be the cause of all this, what is being done about all this; these questions would definitely come up in the thinking of any mind.

    It behooves the broadcast station to provide, or at least try and provide answers to some of those bugging questions surrounding on-going topical issues.

    And that is just what the Channel Television Sunrise Daily seeks to do, and was seeking to do, in finding out details of the topical Metuh Money-laundering case; more so in this season of anti-corruption.

    I am a broadcaster too, and I am deeply disturbed that several years after the Freedom of Information Bill had been passed into law, presenters Chamberlain Usoh, Nneota Egbe, Gimba Umar and others including even the Director of News of Channel Television are to be prosecuted. Just for doing their job! In all good conscience, that is not just,

  • EKITI 2018: We reject Fayose’s continuity of hunger — College workers

    Workers of College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti have declared their support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, at next Saturday’s Ekiti State governorship election.’

    The college workers said they are undergoing untold hardship under the Governor Ayo Fayose-led administration over the non-payment of seven months’ salaries and reduction of subvention.

    They expressed regrets that they attend to students  on empty stomach while the institution had not received grants for capital projects for over three years of the Fayose regime.

    The college staff revealed their suffering when their union leaders met with Fayemi and presented a list of demands to the APC candidate at a meeting held with union leaders on Friday.

    Fayemi met with the leadership of the local branches of College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and Senior Staff of College of Education (SSOCOED).

    They praised Fayemi for giving them good welfare during his tenure as governor, including  increasing their salaries twice, repealing the law that abrogated the and payment of 22 month arrears of N900 million owed by the previous administration.

    The workers also demanded the elevation of the college to a university because of the dwindling number of students seeking admission.

    COEASU branch chairman, Comrade Dayo Olokesusi, advised Fayemi to make immediate payment of seven month outstanding salary arrears a priority saying the last salary collected was for that of November 2017.

    He said: “The last salary we received was that of November 2017. We embarked on several strikes, no result. “We attend to students in hunger when somebody says continuity of hunger and lack. That is why we are pleading that it should be one of the first priorities. “We have made up our mind to work for you, to collaborate with you because of the way the state is being run. We are going to give you maximum support.”

    Responding, Fayemi promised to work out a moratorium of six months to offset all salary arrears owed workers while he would increase the subvention if elected.

    The APC candidate also debunked the opposition allegation that he was coming back to government to take vengeance against workers.

    Fayemi said: “Revenge for what? How many people did I sack when I was governor? The people spreading this rumour are doing worse than sacking workers.

    “I recruited more teachers and workers, I did not only pay salaries regularly but I also increased salaries of civil servants, teachers and local government workers three times and increased college salary twice.

    “I am in politics to better the lives of people, I am not in politics to punish people. We are educated, we should not dignify such rumours. “During my government, Ekiti had 98 per cent enrolment figure of school children but today, Ekiti has the lowest enrolment in the Southwest.

    “Pupils are not able to pay the tax imposed on them by current government, kindergarten and nursery pupils dropping out of school ”It is the pain I see in the eyes of our people anytime I drive around that motivated me to seek this office again. The current government has caused more pain for our people.”

  • Ekiti 2018: Departed accord members want to dupe Fayose, says Aluko

    Says exit from party driven by greed

    Former Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief Abiodun Aluko, has declared that he is determined to win the July 14 governorship ambition on the platform of Accord Party.

    Aluko said the party structures are still intact despite the exit of some of its members who have entered into an alliance with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate,, Prof. Kolapo Olusola.

    The Accord flag bearer said the action of the party leaders and members who have pledged to work for Olusola’s victory was borne out of greed.

    Aluko said they gave gone to dupe Governor Ayo Fayose because they have found a willing buyer who was ready to pay for their services.

    “I have a strong belief that these people only took the action to dupe Governor Fayose. They got a willing buyer in Fayose and they believe they have got somebody they can suck,” he said.

    Addressing a news conference in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday, Aluko said a former governorship aspirant in the party, Akogun Banji Ojo and the State Chairman, Chief Matthew Odeoba who engineered the move do not enjoy the support of majority party members.

    Backing his argument with documentary evidence, Aluko said the crisis was sparked by Ojo’s demand for N65 million he (Ojo) had allegedly spent as expenses on the party before Aluko’s arrival.

    Read Also: My plan for Ekiti, by Olusola

    Aluko said he rejected the request based on conviction that it was meant to extort him, since the party has no verifiable structure in the state to buttress Ojo’s claim.

    “After my initial refusal, the national body said I should give him a sum of N5m, but he rejected. Rather than paying such huge money, I would rather spend in building structures for Accord and that I have been doing.

    “Being a former Deputy Governor, they though I have a mint machine at home whom they thought they could suck.

    “So, their opposition to my candidacy has nothing to do with my capability or financial wherewithal, but some people are out to make money from the governor, that was why they have been raising all manners of false allegations to justify their pay.

    “We are just trying to build structures at the wards and local governments so that it can be on ground to win election.

    “I may not have the whole money to prosecute this election, but I have the goodwill among friends and well wishers who believed in our ability to make a change in the lives of Ekiti, they too shall contribute to our campaign.”

  • Ekiti 2018: Fayose rallies supporters for PDP mega rally

    Urges them to wear White on rally day

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has urged residents of the state to attend the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) flag off rally to be held on Thursday.

    The PDP governorship candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, will be presented with the flag at the event to be attended by governors and the party’s national and zonal leadership.

    Fayose who spoke on Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES) described the event as “mother of all rallies.” He urged party supporters to wear white to the rally.

    The governor promised to provide free fuel to commercial motorcycle riders on election day to convey eligible voters to polling stations at highly reduced prices.

    Fayose vowed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, will be defeated in all the 16 local government areas of the state.

    The governor claimed that the APC flag bearer relies on federal might, while he and Olusola depend on the people’s might.

    He said: “There will be a mother of all rallies on Thursday, July, 5 where the PDP flag will be given to our candidate, Olusola Kolapo Eleka.

    “There will also be victory walk where all of us will wear white, and walk through the state capital praising God and thanking him for victory over our enemies.”

    He added: “The power of the people is greater than those of us in= power, peoples’ might is greater than federal might.

    Read Also: Ekiti 2018: Workers accuse Fayose of illegal data capturing

    “Anything that does not represent the truth in this poll will fail. The opposition is fighting God and they will fail. We will beat APC 16-0 again.”

    Fayose alleged that the Federal Government has been delaying allocations to states because of the impending election in Ekiti.

    He claimed that the alleged seizure of Ekiti allocation was aimed at instigating workers against his administration.

    Fayose said: “The Federal Government has refused to share the allocation. They decided to delay so that workers in Ekiti would be angry with Fayose.

    “They held a meeting last week Saturday and decided to delay the allocation so that workers won’t get salaries until after July 14 poll.

    “They owe me two budget supports. They delayed the salaries of the workers across the nation because of Ekiti. Is that a government that loves the masses?

    He condemned the recent wave of violence in some quarters in the state and urged members of PDP to desist from violent activities:

    “See how APC attacked people in Fayose market and Oloje Ekiti. Our power is our PVC, l urge men of God both those supporting me and those not, to campaign  to people to go get their PVC

    “I urge all PDP members once again not to retaliate the APC thugs, reserve your strength till the day of election. It is not a physical combat but one done with your PVCs. Don’t take arms against anybody, don’t fight.

    “Avoid distribution of money during the poll; it could land you in prison. I promise all Okada men, to provide fuel so you take our people with half price for movement during the poll.”

  • Ekiti 2018: PDP, APC overheating Ekiti ahead of poll, Says SDP candidate

    Says party will transform Ekiti

    The candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ekiti State, Mr Akinloye Ayegbusi has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of overheating the state ahead of July 14 governorship election.

    The SDP candidate noted that the two parties have engaged each other’s  in war of attrition raising false accusations and counter accusations rather than tell the electorates what they have in stock for them.

    Ayegbusi caution the APC and the PDP to stop dragging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) into their messy war, and face their campaign based on issues.

    Ayegbusi who stated this as the ward-to-ward campaign of the SDP moved to communities in Ekiti East Local Government Area, said that the mandate he is seeking is not for self, saying that God has blessed him already.

    He said that he threw his heart into the political ring to help to liberate the people from poverty and untold hardship occasioned by the misrule of the APC and the PDP administrations.

    Some of the communities the campaign team of SDP reached included Omuo, Isinbode and Ilasa where Ayegbusi canvassed for votes.

    The first port of call was Isinbode where the SDP candidate paid homage to the monarch, the Onisin, Oba Emmanuel Adeyemi. He appealed to the royal father to support the SDP for the much desired dividend of democracy to reach the community.

    Read Also: Ekiti 2018: INEC distributes non-sensitive materials

    He charged the people of the area to think of their future before casting their votes, noting that their future lies in the SDP government which will bring back prosperity to Ekiti state.

    The Onisin later prayed for Ayegbusi success at the coming poll. He urged his followers to embrace peace before and during the election.

    At Omuo, huge crowd welcomed Ayegbusi from Kota axis of the town. The SDP candidate immediately moved to the palace to paid homage to the Olomuo, Oba

    Noah Omonigbehin. He expressed happiness with the show of support by the crowd.

    At Ilasa, the residents converged in front of the palace of the Alasa to welcome Ayegbusi who urged them to vote SDP which has come with a rescue mission. He said a vote for SDP is a vote for employment, poverty reduction and social welfare for elderly.

    “That the  people of Ekiti East local government trooped out in large number to welcome us today, is a testimony to the fact that people are ready to liberate themselves from the bad governance foisted on them.

    “Our plan for this community, as a border town, if you vote for us in July 14, is to create infrastructures that will aide trade between this community and the neighboring states.,” he said.

  • Ekiti 2018: INEC distributes non-sensitive materials

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has distributed non-sensitive electoral materials across the sixteen local government areas ahead of the July 14 governorship election. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. AbdulGaniy Raji, disclosed this to reporters at a security meeting with party candidates held at the State Police Command headquarters in Ado-Ekiti.

    The meeting was attended by all heads of security agencies in the state including the Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS). He explained that the sensitive materials will be distributed to the council areas twenty four hours before the election is held.

    The electoral chief explained that INEC would be fair and transparent to all political parties adding that the votes of the electorate will count at the poll. Raji said: “We are satisfied with the meeting and we have cordial relations with the political parties. They have all agreed to remain calm before, during and after the election and we are counting on their words. We on our part, we promised to remain with our core values, to be transparent and be fair to all.

    Candidates standing for the election have pledged to maintain peace before, during and after the July 14 poll “in the interest of the state.” All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said the security agencies assured them of adequate security of lives and property of the citizens. Fayemi, while lamenting recent killings in the state, noted that the candidates have all agreed with the security agencies on ways to ensure peaceful poll in the state.

    People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, stressed that the interactive session has availed candidates to agree on how to prevent violence in the course of the campaigns and on election day. The Deputy Governor urged the people of the state to summon the courage on the day of election to exercise their civic rights, adding that federal might would not work in the state.

    Also the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bello Ahmed assured that all security agencies are ready for the poll, noting that flashpoints in the state had been analyzed. Ahmed said: “The essence of the discussion is to analyse the current political situations in the state. We all know current situation of the state ahead of the July 14 poll. At the moment, all the candidates have been told our own side and we want to assure them that the remaining period of the campaigns and voting day, all must be well.”

  • Ekiti 2018: INEC distributes non-sensitive materials

    Fayemi, Olusola, others pledge a peaceful poll

     

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has distributed non-sensitive electoral materials across the sixteen local government areas ahead of the July 14 governorship election.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. AbdulGaniy Raji, disclosed this to reporters at a security meeting with party candidates held at the state police command headquarters in Ado-Ekiti.

    The meeting was attended by all heads of security agencies in the state including the Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS).

    He explained that the sensitive materials will be distributed to the council areas twenty four hours before the election is held.

    The electoral chief explained that INEC would be fair and transparent to all political parties adding that the votes of the electorate will count at the poll.

    Read Also: We’ve registered 9.7 million new voters, says INEC chairman

    Raji said: “We are satisfied with the meeting and we have cordial relations with the political parties. They have all agreed to remain calm before, during and after the election and we are counting on their words. We on our part, we promised to remain with our core values, to be transparent and be fair to all.

    “We are fully prepared for the election. All non-sensitive materials have all been distributed to the local government areas and the sensitive materials will only come a day before election.

    “I have been around the local government areas in the state and we have asked for the cooperation to ensure peace reign during the election. We have equally given them our words to ensure that people’s vote count. With the structures will have put in place, the votes must count.”

    Candidates standing for the election have pledged to maintain peace before, during and after the July 14 poll “in the interest of the state”

    All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said the security agencies assured of them adequate security of lives and property of the citizens.

    Represented by Director of Mobilization of his campaign, Mr. Femi Bamisile, Fayemi, while lamenting recent killings in the state, noted that the candidates have all agreed with the security agencies on ways to ensure peaceful poll in the state.

    He said: “We had an interactive session with the security agencies, we all basically agreed to what the security apparatus had told us and I want to tell you this is not the first election we will be having in Ekiti state.

    “It is a process that needs to be done. All political parties told them (security agencies) what our problem is and what we have been able to envisaged on, killings that has been happening within the state.

    “We discussed and we assured them that we are going to have hitch-free in the state without intimidation from anybody. What bothers the mind is that why are the killings happening in this period of election.”

    People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, stressed that the interactive session has availed candidates to agree on how to prevent violence in the course of the campaigns and on election day.

    The Deputy Governor urged the people of the state to summon the courage on the day of election to exercise their civic rights, adding that federal would not work in the state.

    Olusola said: “We just concluded an interactive session with the security agencies and all of us the candidates have agreed on certain issues as it relate with how to prevent violence and other things.

    They have assured us and we believe with what transpired today, all stakeholders are prepared for free, fair and transparent poll come July 14.

    “The people should be bold enough to go out and perform their civic right. Nobody will harass anybody because the security agencies have assured us of non-partisanship. No federal might will work here, electorates should go out cast their votes and leave the rest.”

    Also the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bello Ahmed assured that all security agencies are ready for the poll, noting that flashpoints in the state had been analyzed.

    Ahmed said: “The essence of the discussion is to analyze the current political situations in the state. We all know current situation of the state ahead of the July 14 poll.

    “At the moments, all the candidates have been told our own side and we want to assure them that the remaining period of the campaigns and voting day, all must be well.

    “We briefed them on our security arrangement and urge the need to play by the rules and everybody must be allowed to exercise their franchise. So far, so good, we are ready to conduct this election even if it is tomorrow.”

  • Ekiti 2018: Workers accuse Fayose, Peace Corps of illegal data capturing

    •It’s not true says govt. as Fayemi warns against illegal collection of voters’ cards

    The Enlightened Workers Forum (EWF), an interest group in the Ekiti State civil service, has raised an alarm over an alleged plot by Governor Ayodele Fayose to rig the July 14 governorship election, in favour of his party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola Eleka.

    The group, in a press statement made available to The Nation on Friday, said it has uncovered a voters’ card data capturing process at the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), Ekiti State Command Headquarters, in Oke Ila area of Ado-Ekiti, and Fajuyi mini pavilion.

    The EWF in a statement by its Coordinator, Mike Bamidele, maintained that the Ekiti Command of the PCN was acting on an agreement it had with Fayose to collate, according to the Wards, Polling Units, the VIN and serial numbers on the voter’s cards belonging to members of the Corps.

    The group said the alleged action was aimed at cloning the cards and doubling the votes counted during the governorship election, for the PDP candidate to emerge victorious at the poll.

    It claimed, that, Fayose had also requested for the bank details of the PCN members who have already submitted their PVCs for purported data capturing, with a promise to give each PCN member, N10,000 a day to the election, through bank alert.

    “We advise the Ekiti State Command of the Peace Corps of Nigeria to steer clear of Fayose’s political antics ahead of July 14 governorship poll and not be party to any activity that could denigrate the good public image of the organisation,” the group saidDenying the alleged rigging plot, the Commissioner for Information, Lanre Ogunsuyi, described the allegation as a figment of the group’s imagination.

    Ogunsuyi said: “This is a figment of their imagination, all parties are busy mobilizing and training their supporters, party agents and enlightening the electorate ahead of the election.

    “No worker has submitted his card for any pecuniary gain and no cloning of cards is going on as alleged.”

    Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Kayode Fayemi, has warned Governor Fayose against illegal collection of workers’ voters cards through coercion, saying “voters have inalienable right to vote for candidate of their choice.”

    A statement by Director, Media and Publicity of the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation, Wole Olujobi, urged Fayose to stop alleged criminal and unauthorised  collection of teachers and workers’ PVC numbers.

    Fayemi said workers should be allowed to cast their votes for their preferred candidates in the coming election without any fear of intimidation by the government or its officials.

     

  • Ekiti 2018: Oni, others can’t sabotage Fayemi’s victory – Bamidele

    The Director General of the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organization, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) entertain no
    fear about the victory of its candidate in the July 14 governorship poll, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    Bamidele said he has implicit confidence in the leadership of the party in Ekiti State, including former Governor Segun Oni and his group working for Fayemi to make the victory a resounding and collective one.

    The Director General said these in a statement from his office and signed by his Media Aide, Ahmed Salami in Ado Ekiti on Thursday.

    Recently, Oni was linked to a litigation purportedly filed in Abuja seeking the nullification of Fayemi’s victory in the party’s primary on account of his failure to resign as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in line with the party’s constitution and guidelines.

    Commenting on the event that has been causing ripples in APC, Bamidele said he has no reason to doubt Oni and his commitment to Fayemi’s victory
    in this election.

    Bamidele said: “We are not ruling out the possibility of people having some ill-feelings about certain issues in our party, but that should not degenerate to the
    level where people can act as fifth columnists in their own party.

    “Ekiti APC can’t be immuned from crisis just like every other parties because we have diverse backgrounds and our temperaments differ in the way we handle issues. Let me say this, the doors of the party are wide open to entertain complaints and trash them in the interest of everybody.

    “This is not the time to suspect anyone unduly. We should see ourselves as one big family and prevent anyone from hiding under social media to break our ranks.

    Read Also: Ekiti 2018: Fayose will be caged on election day, says Fayemi

    “As the leader of Fayemi’s campaign for this election, we are ready to work with everybody and urge the leaders of all committees working within our campaign structures to be receptive to everybody and refrain from act that can lead to rancor and polarization before this election.

    “Dr Fayemi in his address after clinching the party’s ticket displayed humility by openly expressed his readiness to work with all groups. He later visited other 32 co-contestants for the ticket and this prevented the widely envisaged defections of bigwigs in APC.

    “We are not going into this race with divided mind. We are going into this election to win and we are rest assured that all our members will contribute to this victory.

    “We have no reason to be suspecting these men who decided to join the APC’s moving train, because our party is receptive and we have constitution that guarantees safety for all members.

    “There is no class differences in APC, you can only get that in PDP and that was why the party had always been in perpetual crisis. Our party has
    respect for everybody, regardless of whether you are old or new members.”