Ekiti indebted to election contractors, says ex-bank chief

A former Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Chief Samuel Bandele Falegan, has said Ekiti State owes an “election contractor” N650 million.

Falegan, who is a former Director of Research in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), said the deduction of the N650 million from source to pay the unnamed contractor is partly responsible for the government’s failure to fulfill its financial obligation to workers and contractors.

The elder statesman, in a statement yesterday, described recent media attacks on former Governor Kayode Fayemi as mischief borne out of  bile, envy and an attempt to halt his rising political profile.

He also lampooned some  columnists for their scathing attacks on Fayemi, accusing them of allowing jealousy,  and hatred to becloud their sense of reasoning.

He said: “I know it is a conspiracy, but I pray that one day those behind it will regret their actions.

“It is regrettable that his critics conveniently forgot all the circumstances that led to the loss of the governorship election.

“Fayemi’s critics allowed envy, jealousy, hatred, conspiracy, inordinate ambition to cloud their sense of judgement in their attacks on an innocent man, who fell  victim to federal might.”

Falegan, who holds the traditional title of Atoye of Ado Ekiti, also took a swipe at  critics who are rating Governor Ayodele Fayose above Fayemi.

“It is mischievous of critics to praise a man who has mortgaged the state above a successful man like Fayemi”.

“How many sons and daughters of Ekiti know that the  governorship election was contracted?

“The contractor has been taking N650 million from the state treasury since October 2014 after Fayose’s swearing in.

“Mind you this money is deducted from source. This is a standing order exclusive of recurrent benefits in contract awards. Records existed for  an agreement of resignation over failure to fulfil contract terms.

“The monthly deductions explained why Ekiti workers are not being regularly paid in the last seven months, but which was mischievously   blamed on Fayemi’s debt.”

Reminding All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders that Fayemi’s detractors were not doing them any good, he said South West APC leaders should be careful in the handling of attacks on the former governor.

Falegan said Ekiti elders were not comfortable with masked individuals in Ekiti, who are bent on damaging the former governor’s reputation.