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Tag: Ayodele Fayose

  • ‘Fayose, forget your presidential ambition’

    ‘Fayose, forget your presidential ambition’

    One of the aspirants for the chairmanship of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof Tunde Adeniran has called on the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose to let go his presidential ambition.

    Adeniran who made the call in Abuja on shortly after he returned his nomination documents, said the governor’s ambition was responsible for his (Fayose’s) opposition to his chairmanship ambition.

    Saying that opposition from Fayose cannot stop him from winning the race, Adeniran enjoined the governor to respect the party’s decision zoning the 2019 presidential ticket to the North.

    Adeniran said: “my governor is interested in contesting the presidency of this country and I believe that he thought it will be impossible for us to have the President and national chairman from the same place.

    “Now, the more he realizes that the party has taken a decision that our president by the grace of God as for 2019 will come from the North, the more he realizes the reason to stand by the method decided by the party.

    “The more he will realize that the position taken by the party at the convention is a reality and that he will support his brother Adeniran for the chairman. In fact, I expect that he will lead the Ekiti state delegation to support me at the convention.”

    Speaking earlier, the caretaker committee chairman of the PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi restated the commitment of the leadership to conduct a free, fair and credible convention.

    Makarfi reminded Adeniran and other aspirants of the consequences of breaching the peace pact signed by all the aspirants on Tuesday, stressing that the aspirants must be ready to call their errant supporters to order.

    Makarfi said: “I will assure you that as a caretaker committee, we will do our best no matter what a few might say. We are determined to be transparent and to conduct a free and very fair convention where the views of PDP members will prevail.

    “One of the key elements of the peace accord we discussed on Tuesday was the acknowledgement that the only thing the party has zoned in respect of national issues is the Presidency to the North and chairmanship to the South.

    “And in the peace accord which we have signed, you categorically stated that by the South, you meant all the states in the South and by the North, all the states in the North.”

    Insisting that the party would not impose micro-zoning on the chairmanship position, Makarfi, however, said the party would go along if the aspirants themselves reached an agreement to microzone the position to any part of the South.

    He flayed the actions and utterances of one of the party chieftains from Ogun State who has been attacking the national leadership of the party and urged Adeniran to call the party chief to order.

    “Such individual has done everything possible to make us compromise by going to the media to say that we have compromised with somebody else. Left for such individuals the caretaker committee should not be in place”, Makarfi said.

  • PDP chairman aspirants to sign peace accord – Dokpesi

    PDP chairman aspirants to sign peace accord – Dokpesi

    Chief Raymond Dokpesi, the one of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) National Chairmanship aspirants, has said that all the eight chairmanship aspirants would sign a peace accord as part of their commitment toward successful convention.

    Dokpesi, the founder of Daar Communications, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen after the PDP Governors Forum met with all aspirants in Enugu, which ended at early hour of Monday.

    Dokpesi disclosed that all the aspirants had agreed to sign the peace accord at the party’s national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja, by 4 p.m.

    He described the move as part of efforts by the aspirants to ensure that the party comes out of the convention  stronger and united.

    “With that accord being signed we are going to look forward to a very peaceful and harmonious convention.”

    Asked if the issue of zoning came up at the meeting of the forum with the aspirants, Dokpesi said the party was explicit enough on the issue of zoning.

    He said that while the party’s presidential ticket was zoned to the North, the position of chairman’s was zone to the South, without specific reference to  states or geopolitical region.

    He said that the candidates had agreed to work together

    “After the zoning principle, all the aspirants have agreed to work together to come up with a common position. Anybody can contest.

    “If the party in its wisdom and the aspirants agreed within themselves and notify the party early enough that would be fine.”

    Also asked if the issue of a consensus  candidate was deliberated at the meeting Dokpesi said “no, but that did not mean there were no discussion among the aspirants.

    “Today on the way forward, a few of the aspirants met in the morning and in the afternoon and discussed which solution can be adopted.”

    Dokpesi added that following the meeting  he would go ahead with his campaign and consultation to fulfill his ambition.

    The Governor of Ekiti and Chairman of the Forum, Mr Ayodele Fayose, said that the party national convention, schedule for Dec. 9, would be a world class  that other political parties would emulate.

    Fayose said that the party had work hard and it has all it takes to win the Saturday Anambra Governorship election.

    “We are using this opportunity to demand that the election should be credible. It should not only be credible but seen to be credible.

    “We want to believe that Nigeria is of age to organise election that is acceptable at home and internationally, on Nov. 18 in Anambra,” Fayose added

    In attendance were the Chairman of the party’s National Caretaker Committee, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, all the PDP governors, except Ebonyi represented by his deputy.

    Other aspirants at the meeting were Chief Bode George, Gbenga Daniel, Prince Uche Secondus, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, Jimi Agbaje, Taoheed Adedoja and Rashid Ladoja.

    Also in attendance were Ike Ekweremadu, the Deputy President of the Senate; Gabriel Susuwan, former Benue Governor, Adolphus Nwabara and Sule Lamido.

    NAN

  • 2018: Ekiti indigenes strategise to take over Government House

    2018: Ekiti indigenes strategise to take over Government House

    Indigenes of Ekiti South Senatorial District of Ekiti State, South West Nigeria are making serious arrangements to ensure that one of their own takes charge at the Government house come 2018.

    Speaking on the plans, a governorship aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC) party, Dr. Makanjuola Akindele Owolabi stated that in the 21 years of Ekiti State’s existence, it has never had any son or daughter of Ekiti South Senatorial Zone as governor, despite having more local governments than any of the other zones.

    Dr. Owolabi from Aisegba, Gboyin Local Government while addressing journalists at the weekend at the Lagos Airport said Ekiti South Senatorial Zone has six local governments while the others comprising of Ekiti North and Central zones have five each, noting that the Central part of the state has ruled the State on four different occasions while Ekiti North has also ruled on three different occasions.

    Owolabi lamented that Ekiti South has never been in the saddle of power till date whereas non-indigenes from other States have administered Ekiti State for three years and four months in total.

    “Ekiti South Senatorial Zone is not an outcast. We are not helpless. We do not have to wait for power to be transferred to us. We have all it takes to rule Ekiti State through constitutional, electoral, judicious, justifiable, legal and fair means. We are being made to believe that power can only be bequeathed to us. Are we incompetent or incapable? Are we created to be perpetual spare tyres?” the APC chieftain stated.

    According to Owolabi, under natural justice, the Southern part of the state should have been competing for its third or fourth chance in power by now, stressing that as at 2015 INEC voters’ register, the State has a total of 815,406 spread across the senatorial zones while Ekiti South has the highest number of Senatorial Zones with the second highest number of registered voters of 277,757 which constitutes 34.05%.

    He said that from the total of 416 delegates from all the Local Governments 26 executives from each Local Government, Ekiti Senatorial Zone has 156 delegates representing 37.5%.

    He said: “We have 29 State Excos and 1 national delegate. These delegates cannot take away the superiority of delegates from Ekiti South since the 29 State Excos will have a proportionate number from South too. Ekiti South Senatorial Zone is, therefore, the ‘queen damsel’ of the state politics most especially in deciding who clinches the governorship ticket to become the flag bearer of any political party at the primaries”.

    According to Owolabi, Ekiti South Senatorial Zone with all its politically intimidating statistics and electoral strength both in determining a candidate and a winner has not been fairly and justifiably carried along in the power play of Ekiti State in the past 21 years.

    “We, therefore, pleaded, in the spirit of fairness, equity, justice and democratic principle of power rotation ,amongst confederating entities, that it is only fair and just for the sons and daughters of Ekiti South Senatorial zone to be maximally supported for the governorship of the State for the first time in 21 years.

    “We have been brothers in progress. We have been supportive of our brothers in the North and Central Zones all these years. We are of the same origin. We are all descendants of Oduduwa who is well known for fairness and justice. What we have in abundance for our brothers from the other Senatorial Zones are love and trust. We look forward to the support of our brothers from North and Central just as we have always been doing to them this past twenty-one (21) years”, Dr Owolabi said.

  • PDP NEC considers report of alleged violations by Fayose

    PDP NEC considers report of alleged violations by Fayose

    The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday received reports detailing alleged violations and acts of impunity by the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose.
    The senator representing Ekiti South senatorial district, Senator Biodun Olujimi, was said to have tabled the report at the NEC meeting, which also had Fayose in attendance.
    Fayose has been at daggers drawn with a number of party stakeholders in Ekiti, including federal lawmakers, state assembly members and party officials at the national level.
    The disagreement got to a peak when the governor nominated his deputy, Prof Olusola Eleka as his successor in the governorship election coming up in 2018.
    Other intending aspirants, including Olujimi, had protested the governor’s action, describing it as an act of impunity and total disregard for the party’s constitution.
    Briefing journalists shortly after the NEC meeting that lasted till 8pm, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said the meeting took note of the complaints against the governor and the matter was being looked into.
    According to him, the party leadership would take appropriate actions against the governor to avoid what he described as “catastrophic consequences” in the governorship election.
    Adeyeye also said that a former governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja who recently defected to the PDP from the Accord Party had been granted a waiver.
    Also granted waivers was Mr. Seyi Makinde who defected to the PDP from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and several others that joined the party about the same time.
    Waivers were also extended to others who recently joined the PDP in Anambra State. All the beneficiaries of the waiver have been accorded the same rights and privileges enjoyed by existing party members.
    The party spokesman further stated that the NEC approved the December 9 date for the convention and also approved guidelines for state congresses and the convention as well.
    The NEC also approved certain amendments to the party’s constitution that would be ratified at the convention.
  • Maina: Buhari only acted to save his face – Fayose

    Maina: Buhari only acted to save his face – Fayose

    Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti State governor has said President Mohammodu Buhari only acted on the reinstatement of wanted former Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrashid Maina because of the global embarrassment caused him by the outcry of Nigerians.

    Maina headed the now defunct pension reform team during the administration of  former President Goodluck Jonathan, but fled the country in 2015 after being indicted for alleged diversion of N2 billion public fund.

    The governor in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said the president directive on the immediate disengagement of Maina was an afterthought.

    He also demanded the immediate trial of Maina as well as the sack of all those involved in his reinstatement, which he described as fraudulent and shameful.

    The governor earlier on his verified and official twitter handle likened Buhari’s anti-corruption fight to a situation where “Satan is calling Judas Iscariot a sinner”.

    He said, “In the words of APC Senator, Shehu Sani, ‘when it comes to fighting corruption in the National Assembly and the Judiciary and in the larger Nigerian sectors, the President uses insecticide, but when it comes to fighting corruption within the Presidency, they use deodorants”.

    “Also, President Buhari has refused to act on the report of the committee that investigated the $43 million discovered in an apartment at Osbourne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, despite that Nigerians have been asking him to act on it”.

    “When the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Ibe Kachikwu raised allegation of award of $25 billion contracts without following due process against the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); Dr. Maikanti Baru, the Presidency was the one that defended him (Baru)”.

    “Even the Acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu was indicted of corruption by the Department of State Service (DSS) and all that was done by President Buhari was to ask the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), to investigate the DSS report. Up till today, nothing has been heard about it and Magu, despite his rejection by the Senate, Magu is still acting as the EFCC chairman”.

    “It was also under this government of Buhari that Ahmed Gambo Saleh; the Supreme Court Registrar was indicted and put on trial for alleged over N2 billion fraud. The case against Gambo Saleh was withdrawn almost immediately, and he has been appointed the Secretary of the National Judicial Council (NJC). Not only that, he was made the Secretary of the Corruption and Financial Crime Cases Trial Monitoring Committee, headed by Retired Justice Isa Ayo Salami”.

    “Like I have said several times, as far as President Buhari is concerned, corruption involving his men is family affair, and one won’t be surprised if Maina is rewarded with bigger office very soon, just like others before him”.

  • Fayose faults reinstatement of Maina

    Fayose faults reinstatement of Maina

    Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose has faulted the reinstatement of wanted former Chairman of the defunct Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The Ministry of Interior confirmed on Sunday that Maina, who is still on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s, (EFCC) wanted list, was reabsorbed and promoted to the position of Director of Human Resources at the ministry following recommendations from the Office of the Head of Service.

    But the governor in a reaction posted on his official and verified Twitter handle said, “Someone accused of stealing billions of pension fund was returned to the FG civil service and you still think Buhari is fighting corruption?”

    Maina who since last year had been evading arrest, is still on the wanted list of the International Police Organisation, (INTERPOL).

    INTERPOL had February last year issued a red alert on Maina, who was believed to have fled the country following his dismissal by the Civil Service Commission in 2015 for N2.1Billion pension fund.

  • ‘Fayose PDP number one destroyer’

    ‘Fayose PDP number one destroyer’

    The Senator representing Ogun East, Senator Buruji Kashamu, Thursday took a swipe at the 2019 presidential bid of Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose describing the governor as a joker.

    Kashamu also described Fayose as the number one destroyer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    The lawmaker, who reacted to Fayose’s presidential campaign launch in Abuja, noted that the governor was only showing Nigerians how unreliable he is.

    He described as a huge joke Fayose’s presidential ambition insisting that “I tell you Fayose is not bidding for any presidential position come 2019.”

    Kashamu said: “He is a confusionist and number one destroyer of the party because how on earth would somebody who agreed with other party chieftains that the presidential ticket of the party for 2019 should be zoned to the North, now turn around to start campaigning for the same ticket as a Southerner and particularly as a South westerner to the detriment of the National Chairmanship ticket of the party already zoned to the area.

    “Lovers of our great party and politically minded Nigerians generally, should by this action of Fayose see him as the number one destroyer of the party and the most cantankerous politician in the polity who can at any time abuse anybody and go against agreed plans at any time.

    “I believe that am not the only one disturbed by Fayose’s agbero brand of politics but all political stakeholders in the land including those who followed him from Ekiti to grace his campaign launch because everybody knows that he is going nowhere come 2019 but just exercising his right in a funny way as a joker.”

    Kashamu slammed the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party under the leadership of Senator Ahmed Makarfi for allegedly issuing him query unreasonably.

    The lawmaker wondered why he was accused of instigating crisis in the Ogun State chapter of the party when he was in Abuja as a Senator representing the good people of Ogun East Senatorial District.

    He claimed that the query served him by the party which has been responded to has no substance but a pure mischief and a product of malice.

    He claimed that Makarfi who heads the party as National Chairman, Caretaker Committee, wanted to corner the 2019 presidential ticket of the party.

    He also accused Makarfi of working surreptitiously to ease out those he felt could challenge him.

    He said, “In fact, the December convention of the party may not hold due to Makarfi’s ambition. He is a chameleon pretending to have the interest of the party at heart but secretly executing his own personal agenda.”

  • EFCC confirms arrest of Ekiti finance commissioner, Accountant General

    EFCC confirms arrest of Ekiti finance commissioner, Accountant General

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed the arrest of two key officials of the Ekiti State Government for alleged misuse of bailout funds.

    In a statement on Thursday evening, spokesman of the commission, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, identified the officials as the Commissioner for Finance and the Accountant General of the state.

    Uwujaren said they were picked up by EFCC operatives “following their refusal to honour previous invitations for interrogation in relation to pending investigation on the misuse of bailout funds by the Gov. Ayodele Fayose administration”.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the arrest came on the day that Gov. Fayose formally declared his intention to run for the President in 2019 election.

  • I am next Nigerian President – Fayose

    I am next Nigerian President – Fayose

    The Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has officially declared his intention to contest the 2019 presidential election.

    The Governor made this known on Tuesday in a letter addressed to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to inform it of his intention.

    Recall that Fayose, in July, unofficially displayed his presidential campaign on social media, after boasting that he would wrestle power from President Muhammadu Buhari.

    In the declaration, he had said: “I have a penchant for taking powers; that one in Buhari’s hand, I will take it. I’m going straight to that villa. I’m the next president.”

    Related: PDP’s primary‘ll shock Fayose, says ex-envoy

    Subsequently, during the party’s national convention, he boasted of already being in Aso Rock, urging party members to join him at the nation’s seat of power.

    The governor took to his Social media account to post a picture of the letter which he wrote to the party’s leadership in the state concerning his presidential ambition.

    Fayose
    Fayose’s Facebook Campaign Page

    The letter reads: “It is with deep sense of responsibility that I write to inform you of my intentions to seek the ticket/mandate of our party to contest the 2019 presidential election, considering your support and commitment towards our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) it becomes imperative to keep you informed and seek your support.

    “This ambition, however, is without prejudice to our party position, but in the overall interest of the party and our country.

    “I urge that all hands should be on deck to ensure victory in our quest to return to the presidential villa, Abuja in 2019.

    “Accept the assurance of my highest regards as a determined presidential hopeful.”

  • Chairmanship aspirant hail Fayose

    Chairmanship aspirant hail Fayose

    A chairmanship Aspirant on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Mr. Toyin Dada has described the decision of the state Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose to adopt option A4 for the primary election of his party ahead of the council election slated for December this year as a welcome development.

    Speaking to Newsmen on Monday after the meeting of PDP stakeholders from Ijero Local Government with Fayose in his Afao-Ekiti country home, Dada said adopting primaries to choose chairmanship and councillorship candidates of political parties is one of the best ways of strengthening the grassroots.

    An elated Dada said with Fayose’s action, the son of nobody loved by the people can now become somebody, stressing that the declaration of the governor is a morale boosting for his aspiration.

    “We met with the governor today, and he said it is going be a zero tolerance for imposition. He said if our leaders at the council areas could meet and reach consensus supported by all aspirants, so be it but in the absence of that, it is going to be primary election, particularly, option A4

    “The Governor also said it would be very hard for the incumbent chairmen and councillors to run because it is necessary that dividends of democracy are spread across board. Thus, from the foregoing, i can say that the son of nobody can now be somebody.

    “And as you could see, my morale is high now because it is obvious that people will determine my fate now.

    “I salute the governor for this unusual decision he has taken at this precious time. Like the slogan of our party, Governor Fayose has indeed been returned power back to the people because the voice of the people is the voice of God”, an excited Dada said.