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Tag: Ayo Fayose

  • Fayose’s deputy gets campaign council

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has set up a campaign council for the his  candidate in the July 14 election, Prof. Kolapo Olusola.

    Peoples Democratic Party PDP) has fixed May 8 as its primaries, the All Progressives Congress (APC) will hold its primary three days earlier, on May 5.

    Environment Commissioner Chief Bisi Kolawole has been appointed director-general of the Kolapo Olusola Eleka Campaign Council.

    His appointment was conveyed in a public service announcement on the radio and television channels of the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES).

    The announcement said Kolawole would coordinate the campaign activities of the deputy governor, but was silent on other members.

    Kolawole, a two-time commissioner under Fayose, represented Efon in the House of Assembly between 2007 and 2011.

    He served as director-general of the Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM) in the run-up to the 2014 election.

    According to a notice of primary and election timetable forwarded to Ekiti PDP from the national secretariat, the governorship shadow election holds on May 8, while appeals hold on May 10.

    Last day for withdrawal by candidate and replacement of withdrawn candidate is May 30, and last day for submission of candidate’s nomination form is June 13.

    Last day of campaign is July 12, while the governorship election holds on July 14.

  • Fayose: my deputy will succeed me

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has said that his deputy, Prof Kolapo Olusola, will win  the July 14 governorship poll.

    He said his strong political ties with voters and his performance in office will pave the way for the victory of the democratic Party (PDP).

    The governor said his government has achieved so much in the area of education, Assuring that Olusola will not deviate from his policies.

    Fayose has anointed Olusola as his preferred candidate, which had pitched him against the former Minister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Senator Biodun Olujimi and other contenders.

    The governor spoke in Ado Ekiti, the state capital,  during an interaction with stakeholders in education sector, including members of the  Parents Teachers’ Association(PTA), teachers and officials of the Ministry of Education.

    Fayose, who presented Olusola to the stakeholders, said: “Deputy Governor Olusola’s victory will be easiest in the country’s political history, because I have not deviated from the ideals that people considered to bring me back in 2014.”

    He said Ekiti was ranked 35th when he came in the NECO examinations in 2014, adding that he has brought the state to the first position in 206 and 2017 through series of motivation  for teachers.

    He urged Olusola to cultivate the people and show that he can be another man of the people like him.

    He said Ekiti will not embrace fake politicians who cannot relay with them.

    Fayose added: “Let me say this. Your victory is not in the hands of politicians. I have even told those around me. It is in the hands of Ekiti people,  I mean the electorate. Ekiti people are very resolute people.

    If they say they don’t want you that is the end. If they like you, you will see it. If they hate you, they won’t hide it, so you can see that they like me with the way they have been relating with this government.

  • We won’t allow Fayose to manipulate Ekiti primary – Adeyeye

    We won’t allow Fayose to manipulate Ekiti primary – Adeyeye

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has declared that Governor Ayo Fayose would not be allowed to manipulate the party’s primary.

    He said Fayose’s endorsement of his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, “no longer holds water with the verdict of the David Mark-led panel that all aspirants would be allowed to partake in a credible shadow election.”

    According to him, the national leadership of the party has assured all aspirants of a level playing field at the governorship primary to be conducted at a yet-to-be-identified date in the state.

    Adeyeye, who spoke on Monday while featuring on an interview programme on Voice 89.9 FM, said the Reconciliation Panel led by former Senate President, David Mark, has recommended that all aspirants be allowed to participate in the primary.

    Speaking through the Director of Publicity, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM), Chief Niyi Ojo, the governorship aspirant said Governor Fayose has agreed to support any aspirant who wins the primary.

    He said: “The governor has understood that it is better for the party to win this election, so nobody will be intimidated, harassed and punished for supporting any aspirant.

    “Fayose has agreed to support any aspirant who wins the primary. The eternal joy the governor will have is to have continuity of PDP and not continuity of any particular aspirant.

    “The endorsement of Eleka (Olusola) holds no water.  We will all go for the primary and I know that my principal (Adeyeye) will win the primary.

    “Those that will organise the primary will not be lodged at the Government House. If anybody believes that Fayose will write the list of delegates, such a thing will not happen.”

  • Ekiti poll: No going back on zoning, says Fayose

    Ekiti poll: No going back on zoning, says Fayose

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has said his desire to instal a successor from Ikere-Ekiti made him to endorse his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola.

    Speaking during a rally in Ado-Ekiti to herald the declaration by Olusola to run for governors on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Fayose told other Ekiti communities to forget producing the governor.

    He said at the rally held at Ojumose area of the town that other communities, including Ado-Ekiti, would be compensated with lesser offices.

    Fayose who sang in Yoruba said: “Mi o mo gomina Ise, mi o mo gomina Ifaki, mi o mo gomina Omuo, mi o mo gomina Ilawe, mi o mo gomina Ado, mi o mo gomina Isan, gomina ti mo mo, Ikere lo ti wa.”

    When translated to English, the song goes thus: “I don’t know any governor from Ise, I don’t know any governor from Ifaki, I don’t know any governor from Omuo, I don’t know any governor from Ilawe, I don’t know any governor from Ado, I don’t know any governor from Isan, my governor is coming from Ikere.”

    The governor was apparently referring to Olusola’s rivals at the primary.

    Former Minister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye and former state Attorney General, Mr. Owoseni Ajayi are from Ise. Senate Minority Whip, Mrs. Biodun Olujimi is from Omuo. Former High Commissioner to Canada, Chief Dare Bejide is from Ilawe.

    From the opposition side, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi is from Isan. The APC Deputy National Chairman (South). Chief Segun Oni is from Ifaki while Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, is from Ado.

    Fayose advised Adeyeye to join the APC, if he is not happy with the adoption of Olusola as his preferred successor.

    Adeyeye who has declared intent to contest and three other aspirants have kicked against Olusola’s adoption.

    Fayose said: “The PDP has taken a position. I say we have taken a position and we  have no apologies  for that  and the position was that Olusola should take over after me as the governor of Ekiti.

    “It doesn’t matter to us how many people that are abusing us by our action. They are even free to join our adversaries, but we will defeat them as the God liveth.

    “This is just a baby declaration, the date of the declaration will be announced later. By the grace of God, Olusola will be governor of Ekiti.

    The Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM) has condemned the alleged forceful coercion of civil servants, students, party delegates and other political appointees to attend the ‘Olusola for Governor Rally.’

    In a statement, the PAAM Director of Publicity, Chief Niyi Ojo, said the alleged threat issued to these categories of people to attend the rally as a violation of their fundamental human rights.

    The organisation urged party members to disregard any threat of suspension from their positions.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Court frees seven accused persons in NURTW chief’s murder

    Court frees seven accused persons in NURTW chief’s murder

    An Ekiti State High Court on Monday discharged and acquitted all the seven persons accused of complicity in the murder of the former National Union of Road Transport Workers ( NURTW ) Chairman Omolafe Aderiye.

    The judgment of the court in the case which lasted for over three years sparked emotions and wild jubilation by families, associates and supporters of the defendants who had massed outside the court premises.

    Aderiye, an ally of Governor Ayo Fayose, was killed on 25th September, 2014 at his private motor park, Lafe Ade Transport Services, located in Ijigbo area of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    The accused persons who breathed the air of freedom are Adebayo Aderiye a.ka. Ojuigo, Adeniyi Adedipe a.ka. Apase, Sola Durodola, Kayode Ajayi, Oso Farotimi a.k.a. Oso Polo, Sola Adenijo a.ka. Solar and Rotimi Olanbiwonnu a.k.a. Mentilo.

    The case commenced in November 2014 shortly after Fayose came to power and they had been in prison custody since then.

    Trial judge, Justice Adekanye Lekan Ogunmoye, held that the prosecution failed to prove the complicity of the accused persons in the murder of Aderiye.

    In arriving at the judgment, Ogunmoye held that the police failed to investigate the alibi of the accused which proved fatal to the case of the prosecution.

    He ruled that the accused persons succeeded in convincing the court that they were not at the scene of the crime which the prosecution failed to rebut.

    According to him, the prosecution failed to prove the count of conspiracy to kill the late Aderiye and the count of murder against all the seven defendants.

    Ogunmoye held that the case of the prosecution was not helped by contradictory evidence led its witnesses which he said the court won’t believe.

    For instance the judge faulted the evidence of PW 1, Wale Ibidapo, that one Adesokan Adedeji Israel emerged from a Golf car and shot sporadically into the air before firing the shot that killed the late transporter.

    Ogunmoye held that “it is inconceivable that amidst sporadic gunshots, the witness would observe the purported killer(s) as what would be in the mind of the witness was how to escape from the scene hence the court won’t believe Ibidapo’s evidence.

    Another witness whose evidence was discountenanced was PW3, Gbolahan Okeowo, who, according to the judge, gave “mutually contradictory” evidence.

    The judge held: “Inconsistencies in the evidence of the prosecution witnesses has created a doubt. Where two or more witnesses give contradictory evidence, it will be illogical to believe their testimony.”

    Ogunmoye held that in the charge of murder, the case must be proved beyond reasonable doubt which the prosecution has failed to do in the case at hand.

    The judge ruled: “None of the alibi raised by the defedants was investigated by the police. The evidence of the prosecution failed to bring down the evidence of the defendants.

    “The plea of evidence succeeds that the accused were not at the scene of the crime. The prosecution failed to rebut the evidence of the defendants.

     “The prosecution has been unable to prove that the death of Chief Omolafe Aderiye was caused by any of the defendants.

    “There was nowhere conspiracy can be inferred against any of the defendants. The first to seventh defendants are hereby discharged and acquitted.”

    There was drama within and outside the premises of the State Judiciary Complex shortly after the court rose as some family members of the defendants rolled on the ground while others wept.

    Armed policemen had a hectic time controlling the massive crowd of supporters outside the court who sang and carried some of the defendants shoulder-high.

    The security was tight as the Fayose government had scheduled a rally same day to drum support for the candidature of Deputy Governor Kolapo Olusola at Fajuyi Park near the court premises.

  • Playing games

    Playing games

    What is happening in Ekiti State?  Here, a January 24 report:  “The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has accused the Ekiti State government of blocking his efforts to get the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the report of the Judicial Commission of Enquiry, which barred him from holding office for 10 years. Fayemi said the Ayo Fayose administration had been frustrating his efforts to get the report, more than one week after it was made public with release of its White Paper. He accused the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Dupe Alade, as well as the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Kolapo Kolade, of ignoring his written applications for the CTC of the panel’s report.”

    This is a curious development as the panel released the report on December 13, 2017, while the White Paper was endorsed by the State Executive Council and made available to the media on January 15. The White Paper barred ex-governor Fayemi and his Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Oladapo Kolawole, from holding public office for 10 years, and also said that the two men should refund over N2 billion to the state.

    Fayemi’s lawyer, Rafiu Balogun, told reporters that his client needed the CTC of the panel’s report to challenge the recommendations in court. According to him, “We caused a letter to be written to the Secretary to the Commission, Mr. Gbemiga Daramola, but he asserted that having submitted the report to the governor, the commission had concluded its assignment and wound up. He, therefore, directed us to the SSG.”

    Balogun said: “We quickly wrote to the SSG on January 11, and it was received on January 12. We also wrote to the Attorney General of Ekiti State, requesting for the report, since he chairs the committee to review the report and advise government on the White Paper.”

    Fayemi’s legal team, which described the government’s attitude as “lackadaisical,”  had given the officials seven days to make available the CTC of the report of the commission of enquiry and other documents submitted by the seven-member panel headed by Justice Silas Oyewole (retd).

    From the look of things, the Fayose administration is playing games, but this is not a game.  Rather, the government should play the game, meaning that it should do what is decent and honourable.

  • Ekiti APC laments imminent collapse of Water Company

    Ekiti APC laments imminent collapse of Water Company

    …Says Fayose attitude driving investors away

     

    The All Progressives Congress ( APC ) in Ekiti State has expressed concern over the alleged refusal of Governor Ayo Fayose to sustain the state investment in Warm Springs Water Limited.

    The party rued the imminent collapse of the company which was floated by the Adeniyi Adebayo administration in partnership with United African Company (UAC) Limited. The company produces the popular Gossy Water.

    APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, in a statement on Thursday lamented that the policies of the Fayose administration has been driving investors away from the state.

    Olatunbosun said the imminent collapse of the company was an evidence Fayose’s neglect of government enterprises that have potentials to generate jobs for Ekiti people.

    It was learnt that the board of Warm Spring Waters Limited had given liquidation notice to stakeholders, citing failure of the company to pay its debts and other challenges.

    Olatunbosun cited the closure of GTB, Ecobank and Coca Cola over their alleged refusal to surrender their corporate social responsibility cash to Fayose as reasons why they were forced out of the state.

    Olatunbosun said the latest on the list of the shut down businesses would be Gossy Water to be liquidated at the extra ordinary general meeting of the company on February 6th, 2018.

    “One major reason for the winding up of the company is the unfavourable business environment such that there was no electricity supply to the company to run effectively for three years, including the non-patronage of the company’s product by Fayose’s administration because the company was the initiative of his predecessor.

  • ‎APC: Only court can stop Fayemi

    ‎APC: Only court can stop Fayemi

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has described Monday’s White Paper indicting former Governor Kayode Fayemi as “a demonstration of executive recklessness by Governor Ayo Fayose.”

    The party stressed that neither Fayose nor his government has any power to bar Fayemi or any other individual from holding public office.

    Fayose had set up a judicial commission of enquiry to probe Fayemi’s administration notably to unravel how Fayemi allegedly embezzled N852m SUBEB cash loan obtained from Access Bank.

    Fayemi kicked against the composition of the panel in court, sitting partisanship of members who were allegedly PDP members and some civil servants that served under Fayose’s authority, which made their membership suspect to a fair hearing.

    The Access Bank appeared before the panel to exonerate Fayemi, explaining that Fayemi never stole that but that it (the bank) took back the loan to its vault when the state government failed to firm up agreement on loan repayment.

    Nevertheless, the panel turned in its verdict holding Fayemi culpable and, subsequently, Fayose raised a panel to come up with a White Paper, which yesterday banned Fayemi and his Commissioner of Finance, Dapo Kolawole, from holding public offices for 10 years.

    But in a reaction by the Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the party described both the panel and White Paper as a kangaroo stunt to nail Fayemi, saying the verdict would not stand in the face of illegality that went into the exercise.

    Olatunbosun argued that the Supreme Court has since settled it in law that only courts of law can stop any aspirant/candidate from running for any political office and not any administrative or judicial panel.

    Olatunbosun said: “All Nigerians know that Fayose is recklessly lawless and cannot survive in societies where the law works.

    “His so-called White Paper is not only laughable but also a disgrace to all Ekiti people home and abroad with the way that Fayose has taken ignorance, vendetta and debauchery to a ridiculous level because we knew all along that this is what Fayose wanted to do.

    “We had expected his Attorney General, if he knows his onions, to have advised him that only a competent court of law can bar Nigerians from holding public office under the Nigerian Constitution.

    “A situation where Fayose assembled PDP members and pliable civil servants as a panel with a strict directive to indict Fayemi at all costs and thereafter issue a White Paper banning him from holding public office cannot hold water in a society where the law works.

    “With the way he is conducting himself desperately to stop Fayemi from holding public office, we are convinced that Fayose is seriously going through a political haemorrhage  and therefore his resorting to political desperation and unconstitutional means to nail our leader and a serving Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by any means possible.

    “Neither Fayose nor Ekiti State Government has the power to bar or prevent Dr Fayemi or any other citizen from holding public office but a competent court of law. Such wishful thinking cannot stand judicial scrutiny and we advert Fayose and his pitiable undertakers to read the Supreme Court judgment and Atiku Abubakar in similar matter.”

    APC spokesman said that by his “so-called White Paper that cannot over-rule the Supreme Court judgment as a precedent, Fayose has demonstrated recklessness, lawlessness and display of executive rascality arising from his ignorance of the law, constitution and total disregard for the rule of law”.

    He added: “It is now glaring that despite Fayose’s empty boasts daily that Dr. Fayemi is a paperweight politician who is not popular at home , the governor’s latest action has proved that the reverse is the case, as this barbaric action to halt the political career of a shining Ekiti star has shown that Fayemi is in league of  nightmare Fayose has to contend with.

    “It is an irony that Fayose who is supposed to be banned from holding public office because of the plethora of criminal  and financial misappropriation cases hanging on his neck is the one unilaterally banning somebody who held public office as governor without any blemish and is currently holding that of a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and has performed excellently well as shown by the ‘Award of Public Excellence’ trophy bestowed on him by credible corporate organisations.

    “We expect someone occupying such an exalted position of a governor like Fayose to be properly briefed and educated on the limitations of his powers as the head of the executive arm of government primarily to formulate policy and implement laws rather than interpreting the law and worst still, assuming the position of a judge in a matter involving him as a party.

    “We are not going to lose any sleep over a biased political report by a panel of PDP members set up by a PDP governor for the purpose of framing up our leader as a way of settling political scores.

    “This is executive recklessness and political rascality taken too far by Fayose and his kangaroo panel. We wonder where he got the power to bar a leading member of the opposition in a democracy.

    “We wish to assure our party members and the good people of Ekiti State that the so-called White Paper recommendation by Fayose’s kangaroo panel is not worth more than the paper on which it is written and this shall be challenged in a court of law and we are confident that this shall be quashed because there is no legal precedent or basis for it in the history of our country.

    “We also plead with Nigerians to bear with Ekiti people in this moment of our governor’s lawlessness that has negative implication for the integrity of Ekiti people in choosing their leader.

    “We also wish to remind Fayose that his immunity will expire in October and must be prepared to resume trials on his many criminal cases, including those pending in various courts.”

  • PDP: ‘This is the best national convention in Nigeria’- Fayose

    PDP: ‘This is the best national convention in Nigeria’- Fayose

    Ekiti state governor and Chairman of PDP Governors Forum, Ayo Fayose, has come out to praise the organisers of the national convention, being held by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    He made this statement in an interview with the African Independent Television (AIT), at the on-going national convention.

    “This is the best national convention ever held in Nigeria. I listen to some people talking about list, I felt ashamed, I felt sad.

    He also asked others to toe the line of Atiku Abubukar and return to the PDP.

  • Fayose approves N200m car loan for workers

    Fayose approves N200m car loan for workers

    Gov. Ayo Fayose of Ekiti on Thursday approved the disbursement of over N200 million as car loan to 645 workers in the state’s service.

    The State Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo, said that the loans would be disbursed to beneficiaries in sums ranging from N80,000  to N1.5 million.

    According to Ojo, the amount accruing to each individual depends on their status and grade level.

    “I just want to affirm the commitment of this administration to the welfare of workers.

    “As we speak, since the inception of this administration, N896.8 million has been given out as car loans to 2,942 workers in the state not counting the just disbursed loans.

    “Also, 2,165 workers have received N490,730,000 as housing loans during the same period.

    “It must be noted that government’s gesture is in spite of the paucity of funds in the state occasioned by the general economic downturn and dwindling allocation from the federation account,’’ the commissioner said in a statement.

    Read also: Fayose presents N98b budget

    He advised the loan beneficiaries to make the most use of it, and cautioned them against spending the loan on items that would not add value to their lives.

    Ojo solicited the continued support of workers for government’s efforts to improve their lot and develop the state.

    The commissioner said that the state’s workforce was the engine-room of government.

    He stressed that it would be difficult for the government to achieve its set goals without the workers’ support and dedication to duties.

    NAN