The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ekiti STATE

  • PDP aspirant tackles Fayose over failure to pay bursary

    PDP aspirant tackles Fayose over failure to pay bursary

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant, Otunba Segun Adewale, has criticized Governor Ayo Fayose for failing to pay bursar to students of Ekiti State origin for the past four years.

    Adewale promised to make skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development a cardinal policy of his administration to reduce unemployment among graduates.

    He spoke on Tuesday at a public lecture organized by the Federation of Ekiti State Students’ Union (FESSU), Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) chapter.

    In his lecture titled: “Entrepreneurship, A Sustainability to the Economy of Ekiti,” Adewale charged the  students to discover their purpose and not to be deterred by challenges.

    Read Also: Fayose expresses fear over Ekiti poll

    At the event which attended by students of Ekiti origin from other states, they complained to Adewale that the Fayose government had abandoned them by not paying their bursary since coming to power.

    Moved by the students’ plight, Adewale announced a donation of N1 million to ease their financial hardship.

    Adewale said: “On the immediate, I have made available N1 million to ameliorate your financial burdens occasioned by the poor state of Nigerian economy, especially as our government in Ekiti has continually shied away from its responsibilities to its workforce and youth.

    “Non-payment of bursary is an injustice to the future of Ekiti State. These students are the future of our state.

    “It is the responsibility of those in government to give them hope. How can you not pay bursary to students whose parents you owed several months of salary arrears?”

    Urging the students to embrace skills acquisition, “The Nigerian economy has changed from the consideration of certificates acquired to what you can deliver.

    “Employers today are more interested in your skills and how it affects your profitability of their businesses than your course of study. Your certificate is a means to an end and not an end itself.”

  • INEC : 215,000 PVC’s yet to be collected in Ekiti

    INEC : 215,000 PVC’s yet to be collected in Ekiti

     

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ekiti State has expressed concern that over 215,000 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) are yet to be collected less than five months to the governorship election.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. AbdulGaniy Raji, disclosed this in Ado-Ekiti on Monday while speaking with reporters in his office on preparations for the governorship poll.

    Raji who spoke through INEC Public Relations Officer (PRO) in Ekiti State, Mr. Taiwo Gbadegesin, expressed worry over apathy of voters to the collection of PVCs despite the enlightenment being carried out by the agency.

    He said the state government has been partnering traditional rulers, religious organizations, political parties and the media to increase the political awareness of the electorate in Ekiti.

    “We have done a lot of jingles and also working with all our outfits in the 16 local governments for voter education but despite these efforts, our people seem to be showing apathy.

    “As we speak now, we have about 215,000 PVCs with us that are yet to be claimed.”

    “We are hopeful that all these will be collected before that election, because our aim is to ensure that we have high turnout during that election like we witnessed in July 21, 2014”.

    Read Also: Fayose expresses fear over Ekiti poll

    The electoral chief stressed that cases of underage voting won’t be allowed during the July 14 governorship election in the state as the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise was being monitored to prevent those who have not reached the voting age from registering.

    He added: “From inception, we have not accepted such tendency of underage voting here in Ekiti and we won’t tolerate it. Election is a serious matter that has to do with people’s sovereignty that must not be abridged in any form.

    “So, we are assuring you that the Ekiti governorship election will meet international standard. We will improve on our outstanding past records to the extent that all the political parties and stakeholders will have cause to commend us.”

    Raji also disclosed that ad hoc staff members to be used for the election including the youth corps members are undergoing training on the best electoral practices.

    His words: “Yes, we are working with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) where we will draw our ad hoc staff from.

    “We have started training them and engaging them in election seminars, so that they can be well educated about the conduct of elections.

    “We have started training for our staff here in INEC and we are awaiting instructions from our national headquarters to lift ban on electioneering campaigns, so that we can increase our work rate here in our office.”

  • Ekiti 2018: Oni’s, Fayemi’s ambition will divide APC, says Oluyede

    Ekiti 2018: Oni’s, Fayemi’s ambition will divide APC, says Oluyede

    An All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Dr. Wole Oluyede, has said that the ambition of former Governors Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi will divide the party, ahead of the July 14 poll.

    He advised the two politicians to emulate their senior colleague, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, by playing the roles of leaders and statesmen.

    Oluyede said the unity of the party and its success at the poll should be paramount to Oni and Fayemi, warning that joining the race would reduce them to “aspirants and not leaders.”

    Oluyede, who spoke with reporters in Ikere-Ekiti, his home town,  said the party would face some challenges, ahead of the primary. While Oni, who served as governor between 2007 and 2010, has  declared interest, Fayemi, who was in office between 2010 and 2014, is yet to throw his hat into the ring.

    Oluyede said: “I want the two former governors (Oni and Fayemi) to recognise themselves as leaders, they did their best. I wish our two eminent leaders, Engineer Segun Oni and Dr. Kayode Fayemi will remain as leaders and keep their national offices.

    “The signs are there that we may not win the net election if we present any of them as our candidate in the election and their participation in the primary will aggravate our division and their non-participation will make them better men.

    He added: “If they win in the primary, are will sure we will win the main election? If they come to the field, they will reduce themselves to aspirants and not as leaders.

    “Their presence in the race will also deepen the divisions and relinquishing their aspirations for the sake of the party will notmake them feel less in any way.

  • Bamidele: don’t see Ekiti APC primary as warfare

    Bamidele: don’t see Ekiti APC primary as warfare

    Former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, has warned aspirants jostling for the Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket against perceiving the primary as a do-or-die contest.

    He said he is contesting for  governor, because  of his passion for his people, adding he has  the requisite political experience for the position.

    Bamidele spoke in Otun Ekiti in Moba Local Government Area while addressing delegates in preparation for the party’s primary billed for April.

    The former federal lawmaker is currently on a tour of the 16 local Government areas of the state, and stated this when he addressed the party members in Ido Ekiti during the week.

  • Ekiti needs home-based Governor- Orire

    Ekiti needs home-based Governor- Orire

     

    A medical practitioner, Dr. Adebayo Orire, on Thursday formally declared his intent to contest for the governorship of Ekiti State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Orire, who visited the APC state secretariat in Ajilosun area of Ado-Ekiti, with his supporters to inform the State Executive Committee of the party said “Ekiti needs a home-based governor.”

    He was the 30th aspirant to officially inform APC leaders of his intent to run for the governorship on the platform of the party.

    Orire, who has been practicing medicine in Ado-Ekiti for over thirty years, said he knows what the people of the state want having lived among them for that long.

    The aspirant, who hails from Ikoro-Ekiti in Ijero Local Government Area in Ekiti Central senatorial district, described himself as a politician of integrity and a loyal party man who is passionate about developing the state.

    Orire promised to create Ado-Ekiti New Town to expand the state capital and give residents more facilities. He also promised to give N1 million each to 900 artisans/market women to breathe life into grassroots economy.

    Read Also: NDE trains 2,000 in  Ekiti

    He said: “If we want a strong government, we need to give our people what they need. We need a home-based governor who feels what the people feel.

    “I am home-based, I love this party and I have integrity. I believe I can do it. I live among you and I use my medical profession to touch people’s lives.”

    Responding on behalf of the party exco, APC Deputy Chairman, Mrs. Kemisola Olaleye, described Orire as qualified for the office he is seeking and a loyal party man.

    She advised the aspirant to go to the 177 wards and 16 local government areas and woo delegates ahead of the primary urging him to utilize his “home advantage.”

  • Woman docked for stealing 11 kegs of Palm Oil

    Woman docked for stealing 11 kegs of Palm Oil

    An Ekiti based  woman, Dele Gbadura, on Thursday appeared before an Ado-Ekiti Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing of eleven kegs of palm oil.

    Police prosecutor, Sgt.Oriyomi Akinwale, told the court that the accused committed the offence on December 20, 2017 at Taye Fasuba Street, in Odo Ado Quarters, Ado-Ekiti.

    He alleged that the accused, on the said date, unlawfully stole the commodity valued at the rate of N110, 000, property of one Tairu Motunrayo.

    According to him, the offence contravened Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap C 16, Vol.1, Laws of Ekiti State 2012.

    The accused pleaded not guilty while her counsel, Mrs. Adunni Olanipekun prayed the court to grant bail to her client in liberal terms, promising that she would not jump bail.

    Magistrate, Mrs. Modupe Afeniforo consequently granted bail to the accused in the sum of  the N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.

    She adjourned the case to March 9 for further hearing.

  • 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.

  • ‎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.”

  • Fayose rallies Ekiti against Herdsman invasion

    Fayose rallies Ekiti against Herdsman invasion

    …urges all-round patrol in Communities

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose on Wednesday rallied local hunters against possible invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen. Sounding the battle cry against while hosting the hunters at the Government House pavilion, Fayose alleged that intelligence report available to him revealed that “Bororo” herdsmen have surreptitiously

    entered the state.

    Fayose who wore a camouflage shirt, a pair of trousers and a fez cap to match “to reflect the mood of the nation” urged the hunters to go back home and defend the people. Apart from the local hunters, others who showed up at the forum are the Agbekoyas, vigilance groups, the Tivs, Idomas and Igedes from Benue State who are resident in Ekiti.

    The event was highlighted by intermittent firing of gun shots, whistling and songs by the hunters. Fayose who sympathized with the people of Benue State where scores have been killed by suspected herdsmen, vowed that he would not allow his people to be slain as done in the Northcentral State.

    The Ekiti governor claimed that the alleged plan to invade Ekiti was to make the state ungovernable ahead of the July 14 governorship
    election. Fayose said the situation in Benue and Taraba States has shown that “President Buhari lacks the capacity to protect Nigerians.”

    He said: “I have received letters that the Bororos have entered our reserves, they want to violate our laws. I want to call on the attention of the Federal Government that they have come and wanted to kill men, women and kids in Ekiti.

    “We will not allow that to happen here in Ekiti; I want you all our hunters to go back today to protect your people. Be vigilant, open your eyes and make sure that everybody entering the state is screened.

    “No one in the guise of grazing should enter our land after 8.00 pm. Four our brothers who harbour criminals, tell them Ekiti is a no-go area. If your plan is to make this state ungovernable, you are wasting your time.

    “I have called thois meeting for everyone to be vigilant; I will begin to support you now to secure Ekiti. Don’t let them take you by surprise, don’t allow them to take Ekiti by storm.

    “Go to the farms and keep vigil; don’t just entertain visitors that come in the night, screen them. We don’t want visitors in our reserves at 8.00 pm.”

    Fayose added: “This (camouflage) dressing is done to charge our hunters to secure the state. I saw pictures of the killings (in Benue) and I wonder if those were human beings.

    “I asked the question if people could be that picked to kill human beings that way; they will find no peace. It is no tribal killings but
    that of mindless people.

    “The blood of the departed will find those people and they won’t know peace. It is the duty of the Federal Government to protect its people. We are not protected.

    “We have never had it so bad; people must come to leadership with conscience. The Federal Government should have sent the Army and not
    the Police.

    “Governor (Samuel) Ortom should fasten his belt and protect his people. Those seeking for help in Abuja would not find because Abuja also needs help. I sympathise with you (Benue) people and nobody will kill you. You are all safe here.”

    Fayose also gave out telephone hot lines through which people who noticed strange movements can call for urgent attention.