The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ekiti STATE

  • Ekiti monarch hosts Fayose, Ooni, Babalola at book launch

    Ekiti monarch hosts Fayose, Ooni, Babalola at book launch

    The Alaaye of Efon-Alaaye Kingdom in Ekiti State, Oba Adesanya Aladejare will host eminent Nigerians from all walks of life for the public presentation of a historic book on the ancient town on November 4.

    The book entitled Obalufon Alayemore: The Founder of Efon-Alaaye Kingdom, is written by a renowned author and researcher, Prince Adelegan Adegbola. Its presentation at the Civic Centre, Efon-Alaaye, will be chaired by legal luminary, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN).

    Dignitaries expected at the event will include Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, who is the chief host, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, who is the royal father of the day, eminent lawyer Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), traditional rulers, statesmen, politicians, businessmen, corporate leaders, technocrats, clergy and laity and other well-wishers.

    According to the Planning Committee, led by Dr. Kunle Olajide, the Otunba-Aaaye and Aaare of Efon Kingdom, the book, which followed an earlier publication on Ile-Ife, the cradle of Yoruba land, will set the records straight on the strong linkage of Efon to Ile-Ife. It noted that the legendary Obalufon Alayemore reigned twice as the Ooni and once as the first Alaaye of Efon Kingdom.

    Oba Aladejare Agunsoye 11, an eminent scholar and former Chairman of Ekiti Council of Obas, explained that the book emphasised the true relationship between Ile-Ife and Efon-Alaaye.

    He said: “History is sacrosanct. It is a fact that the source of Yoruba history is from Ile-Ife.”

    The monarch, who retired as a lecturer from the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, urged the Yoruba to rally round Oba Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11, in his bid to unite the race.

    He urged Efon indigenes at home and in the Diaspora to rekindle their patriotism and participate in the developmental activities designed to uplift the kingdom.

    Prince Adegbola shed more light on the significance of the book, saying it has emphasised the prime position of Efon among the ancient Yoruba kingdoms.

    Efon-Alaaye is the headquarters of Efon Local Government Area. It is the cradle of Alaaye Samuel Adeniran Kerekeata, Senator Richard Babalola, Chief Hezekiah Davies, Pa Ologundudu, Gen. James Oluleye, Captain Lafiaji, Senator Femi Kila, Prof. Chistopher Ola, Prof. Opeyemi Ola, Prof. Ajisafe, Dr. Edward Olowookere, Chief Adeola Ayoola, Rev. Adewaare Alokan, Prof. Dipo Kolawole, Chief Olulade Mogaji, Hon. Funmilola Giwa-Asaju, Prof. Adio Folayan, Chief Joel Omoniyi and Hon. Bisi Kolawole, Ekiti State Commissioner for Environment.

  • Day drivers’ union shut down Ado-Ekiti

    Day drivers’ union shut down Ado-Ekiti

    In Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital penultimate Monday and Tuesday, members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) unleashed terror on residents and damaged property worth millions of Naira. They were protesting Governor Ayo Fayose’s arrest, detention and arraignment of one of their members. ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA reports. 

    Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, was in turmoil penultimate week when members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) held the city by the jugular.

    The commercial drivers declared ‘war’ on Governor Ayo Fayose who they accused of victimising one of their members, Ahmed Kolo. Kolo was arrested, arraigned in court and remanded in prison custody since September 27 at an Ado-Ekiti Magistrate’s Court for allegedly attempting to knock down Fayose with his car.

    Police prosecutor Sergeant Monica Ikebuilo told the court that the defendant committed the offence on September 24 at Ijigbo Street in Ado-Ekiti.

    She alleged that the defendant, on the said date, unlawfully attempted to murder Fayose by hitting his car.

    Ikebuilo said she had duplicated and forwarded his casefile to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.

    According to her, the offence contravened Section 320 of the Criminal Code Cap C 16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2008.

    The plea of the defendant was not taken as his counsel; Mrs Felicia Nwandichi sought a short date of adjournment pending the determination of advice from the DPP.

    The presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Dolapo Akosile ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody till the outcome of the DPP’s legal advice.

    When the case came up for hearing on October 9, Kolo’s remand was renewed by the court, an action that did not go down well with his colleagues who claimed to have made representations to the governor to plead on their colleague’s behalf.

    It was the innocent residents of Ado-Ekiti that were at the receiving end of the “big fight” between Fayose and the drivers’ union.

    The face-off between still remains a mystery to residents because of the good “working relationship” between the two parties.

    The drivers are one of the important stakeholders of the Fayose administration and they always play one role or the other anytime the state is celebrating one ceremony or the other.

    But it seems the relationship between them had gone awry over the governor’s treatment of one of their own.

    Guns boomed. Traffic, commercial and social activities were paralysed as business centres and schools were closed as the drivers moved from one location to the other. They attacked and damaged several vehicles belonging to innocent residents.

    The Ado-Ikere Highway was blocked for several hours and vehicles were unable to get to their destinations. The drivers used a trailer to block the road at Assumpta area which caused traffic gridlock.

    The members of the NURTW continued their violent protest early on Tuesday as many residents who were on their way to their workplaces and schools were turned back when the suspected hoodlums blocked the dual carriage way at Akure Garage.

    The drivers shot into the air and wielded dangerous weapons such as bottles, cutlasses, axes and charms as they hurled stones at the anti-riot policemen who were deployed in the area to quell the crisis.

    They placed fetish objects, broken bottles,  stones and barricades on the road; chanting anti-Fayose songs. The presence of riot policemen did not deter them as they dared the security agents to shoot at them.

    The drivers lit bonfires in places such as Ajebamidele, Akure Garage, Ijigbo Roundabout, Matthew Junction, Okeyinmi, Ajibade Garage, Irona, Atikankan and Oke-Ila.

    Motorists and motorcyclists took alternative routes with many of them plying roads already damaged by erosion. Gunshots were heard at Ijigbo, Ajilosun and Akure Garage areas which caused panic in the neighbourhoods.

    Traders, who had displayed their wares hurriedly closed their stalls and fled when they heard gunshots fired by the drivers. Erekesan and Bisi markets suddenly became ghost of themselves with thick smokes from the tyres used to make the bonfires billowing into the sky.

    Schools were shut early and parents had to hurry to the various schools in order to withdraw their kids. Innocent commuters passing through Ado-Ekiti had harrowing stories to tell.

    A billboard depicting the picture of Fayose endorsing his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, as his successor located in New Garage was vandalised. Another giant billboard bearing the picture of Fayose which was installed by the Chairman of Ado-Ekiti Local Government Area, Mr. Ayodeji Ogunsakin, was also destroyed by members of the drivers’ union.

    Those passing through the Akure Garage area were forced to raise their hands before being allowed passage by riot policemen stationed in the area.

    Some member of the NURTW alleged that one of the members of the union was shot by the police at Ajilosun area. He declined to reveal the hospital where the alleged victim was rushed to.

    The driver said: “One of us was shot at Ajilosun very close to Fayose Market. There is no way we won’t revenge the killing. We are even going to burn down police station if that boy dies.”

    A younger sister of Founder/Chancellor, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola, Mrs. Florence Olukolade, told our correspondent that the commercial drivers damaged her Toyota Avensis car with registration number AKR 657 FW.

    Mrs. Olukolade revealed that the drivers forcibly removed her car key and fled after the vehicle was vandalised. She further revealed that the hoodlums damaged six other vehicles.

    She said: “At 11:30 a.m. today (Tuesday), I was coming from Akure and I saw row of vehicles. We wanted to turn back but the policemen passed our vehicle and the next thing that happened was that these boys just came and ordered us to stop.

    “They ordered us to surrender the car key and my son who was driving surrendered the key. They were pushing us, threatening that they will shoot us. There was a man they wanted to stab with their cutlass.

    “In the course of the confusion, I ran into a nearby house, I fell down and was injured. About six vehicles, including mine, were damaged.

    “I had reported the incident at Ologede Police Station along Ikere Road.”

    Addressing reporters on the incident, Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Modupe Alade, said the NURTW leadership had already reached out to the governor to resolve the crisis.

    She said the detained driver was rude to the governor. He was arrested and taken to court for traffic offence, when he refused to apologise to the governor.

    Mrs. Alade said: “The driver drove recklessly against the convoy and he was arrested. Rather than apologise, he was rude to the governor.

    The governor asked them to come and apologise, but they refused.

    “The governor, as a no-nonsense person won’t tolerate any threat from anybody. And not until he apologised, he won’t be released.”

    Police spokesman Alberto Adeyemi, refuted the claim of the NURTW men that one of them was shot.

    Adeyemi said: “Let me make it clear, nobody was shot by our men and we have not even arrested anybody.

    “We are dialoguing with the leadership of the drivers’ union and we are sure that the matter will be resolved soon.”

    Many residents of Ado-Ekiti who were panic-stricken because of the bloody clash did not go out on Wednesday to avoid being caught in crossfire.

    But the victims are still counting their losses; those whose cars were smashed and those who sustained injuries during the two-day mayhem. So also were traders who could not open for businesses for the two days.

    The NURTW leadership led by the state chairman, Mr. Clement Adekola, on Wednesday signed an undertaking to maintain peace while Fayose promised to release the detained driver from prison.

  • Afe Babalola seeks emergency fund for education

    Afe Babalola seeks emergency fund for education

    Founder, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, has advocated a national emergency fund to address the challenges of inadequate funding of the education sector.

    He suggested a minimum of 26 per cent of the national budget or four per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) yearly to the sector.

    Chief Babalola made the call on Tuesday while delivering the keynote address at the 32nd Conference of the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU), hosted by the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete.

    Speaking on the topic: “University management and economic Change: The Nigerian educational system perspective,” he said: “To rapidly catch up with the rest of the world in terms of quality education, there is a need to designate a significant portion of annual budgets to education.”

    He added that the government must be committed to revitalise and supporting public universities.

    Babalola also stressed the need for an end in the incessant industrial actions in public universities in the country, to bring about stable academic calendar. He also pointed out that “the private universities are generally not vulnerable to the many common ills of public universities.”the AVCNU Chairman, Prof Debo Adeyewa, urged governments at all levels to fund education adequately.

    Adeyewa, the Vice Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, also charged university administrators to come up with solutions to the “problems of paucity of finance, deficit of knowledge infrastructure, governance, policy inconsistency and other solutions relevant to the needs of society’’.

    He said the employability of graduates, entrepreneurship, quality assurance, relevance to sustainable development, climate change, leveraging on Information Communication Technology (ICT) and open education resources and international collaboration in the Nigerian university system were some of the challenges confronting the universities.

    “We need to address the nagging questions to ensure the provision of functional and quality education required for national development in the 21st century through our universities.”

    Declaring the conference open, Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed urged the vice chancellors to promote real research instead of the book reviews.

    Represented by the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Hajia Amina Ahmed also spoke of the need to match the training with the needs of the society.

    “It is only through pragmatic approach that we can guarantee sustainable growth in our country. Unless and until we graduate students as job creators, our saturated market of unemployable youths can at best remain time bombs that would do us no good,” he said.

    Earlier, Vice Chancellor of KWASU, Prof Abdulrasheed Na’Allah urged university administrators to collaborate with government to stop incessant strike actions by lecturers.

    Na’Allah added that most lecturers don’t treat their students like clients, saying the unfriendly treatment would not allow the students to give back to their alumni after their graduation.

    “If we are determined have 21st century universities, we have to ensure that our universities are theatres of research. There cannot be development without universities. Nigerian universities have no other cause but to change the fortune of Nigeria.

    “This nation is spending heavily on university education, yet we don’t have anything to show for it,” the vice chancellor added.

  • 300 get relief materials in Ekiti

    300 get relief materials in Ekiti

    Not less than 300 victims of natural disasters in Ekiti State had cause to smile  as the Federal Government commenced distribution of relief materials to them.

    Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, inaugurated the distribution on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari with the assurance of more relief materials from the Federal Government.

    Fayemi said Buhari was concerned about the plight of victims of natural disasters such as rainstorm and flood many of who had been rendered homeless.

    Relief materials distributed included bags of rice, millet, cement, corrugated iron sheets, nails, blankets, mats, clothings, asbestos, underwear, toiletries and detergents, among others.

    The minister was joined in the distribution exercise by the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Mustapha Yinusa Maihaja, Governor Ayo Fayose, who was represented by his Special Assistant on Emergency Matters, Mr. Akinwale Rasheed and General Manager of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Femi Osasona.

    The event, which took place at Ekiti State Office of NEMA located at Ajebamidele area of Ado-Ekiti was witnessed by beneficiaries, emergency officials and leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Fayemi revealed that Buhari, who was concerned about the effects of rainstorm and flood on the people of Ekiti State ordered NEMA to send the relief materials for distribution.

    The minister further explained that Buhari was ready to assist all Nigerians irrespective of their political affiliation, religion, ethnic background, culture and language.

    He stressed that Ekiti State had received much assistance from the Buhari administration since assumption of office in May, 2015. They include two tranches of bailout funds, Budget Support Fund for 13 months, Paris Club refund and N2 billion ecological funds.

    Fayemi said: “What NEMA is doing is not the first time the Federal Government under President Buhari is coming to the rescue of our people.

    “The President believes that he is the President of all Nigerians and that is why the states that had benefited most from his government are opposition states because it is Nigerians that are living and working there.

    “That is the message of Mr. President, he is the President of all Nigerians regardless of race, party affiliation, race, religion, culture and language. He will always work for all Nigerians as long as they are Nigerians.”

    In a chat with reporters, Fayemi further said: “You have heard of Hurricane Maria, Hurricane Harma and disaster in Puerto Rico and other places and these happen as a result of climate change.

    “So, all we can do is to ensure that we are better prepared and NEMA under Mr. Maihaja is better prepared for this.

    “I have seen him in places such as Benue, Kogi and other places where he have series of floods. The best we can do is to be prepared like the Boys Scout motto indicates. We know the period when these things happen.”

    Fayose, who spoke through Rasheed said: “We are grateful that NEMA is extending hands of fellowship to victims in our state. On behalf of the state governor and the entire people of the state, we sincerely thank NEMA for assisting the flood victims.”

    Earlier in his remarks, NEMA D-G Maihaja, noted that Ekiti was one of the states that first experienced rainstorm around February which he said was witnessed in about 27 other states.

    Maihaja said climate change caused many natural disasters to victims across the country, noting that natural disasters and floods can overstretch federal and state governments.

    He added: “On behalf of my agency, we express our deep concern and sympathy to all the people that were affected.

    “We have brought some of the materials with which we are inaugurating the scheme to alleviate the suffering of the people.

    “Incidences such as floods and rainstorms are natural disasters which we humans cannot stop but NEMA will continue to assist victims to live

    their normal lives through relief materials and rescue operations.”

    When asked on the cost of the materials, Maihaja said: It is difficult to say anything about the cost now due to some factors but the cost can be provided later.”

     

  • Septuagenarian wins best farmer in Ekiti, gets N1m

    Septuagenarian wins best farmer in Ekiti, gets N1m

    A 73-year old farmer, Alhaji Olayinka Adeyemi, has emerged the Overall Best Farmer of the year in Ekiti state, winning N1 million prize.

    Alhaji Olayinka has been in farming since 1965.

    Chief Afe Babalola, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the organiser of Afe Babalola Agricultural Exhibition code named “ABA-EX 2017” gave the prize to the winner on Sunday at the closing of the exhibition at the Afe Babalola University ( ABUAD ), Ado Ekiti.

    The agric exhibition, where Adeyemi won the prize was organised by Gov. Ayo Fayose.

    The Septuagenarian was among about 300 other farmers shortlisted for the government exhibition from among leading farmers in all the 16 local government areas of the state.

    Two farmers each from the 16 council areas got N150, 000 and N100, 000 for wining first and second positions at the local level.

    Babalola offered to start buying farm produce from farmers in the state.

    This, the legal luminary said would save farmers in the state the agony of produce wastage and loss of profit on their produce due to lack of storage facilities and ready market.

    Babalola, who is also a big-time farmer,said he decided on buying the farm produce to improve the well being of farmers and make farming attractive again like it used to be before the discovery of oil.

    He noted that most Nigerian farmers were usually compelled to sell their produce at ridiculous prices because of lack of facilities to preserve them.

    The (SAN) also identified lack of working capital, storage facilities and modern farm implements as reasons why many had abandoned farming for odd jobs in the city.

    He also said lack of access to ready market for their produce contributed to farmers abandoning the occupation, thereby making them poorer.

    “As from now, I wish to announce to all farmers in Ekiti State that they are free to bring their farm produce in bulk to us here. We are ready to by them and pay you appropriate prices.

    “We have all the facilities in ABUAD farms to accommodate as well as process whatever volume of both cash and food crops that we have with us.

    “We do not only prepare them for local consumption, we also prepare them for export.

    “I am always moved to pity when I see hard-working farmers not making commensurable profits on their farms despite toiling day and night to ensure they have good harvest.

    “I do not want this ugly situation to continue,” he said.

    Fayose, who was represented by his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola thanked Babalola for his intervention in agriculture and education sectors in the state.

    He described Babalola as the best, most critical partner and a stakeholder in the running of government.

    NAN

  • Fayose owes more than four months arrears – Ekiti workers

    Fayose owes more than four months arrears – Ekiti workers

    Workers in Ekiti State appear set for a showdown with Governor Ayo Fayose over his claim on Channels Television on Thursday that his administration is owing only four months arrears of salaries. The governor, who had earlier in the day declared his intent to run for the presidency of Nigeria in 2019, was asked on the propriety of his ambition when he was owing workers under him.

    But the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Ekiti State, Raymond Ade Adesanmi, refuted the governor’s claim maintaining that “Fayose owes various categories of workers under him between five and eight months arrears of salaries. Adesanmi disclosed that Fayose’s claim of owing just only four months arrears is already causing tension and disquiet among the workforce.

    He advised government “to always come out with correct information to douse the raging tension in the system.” Speaking with reporters in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday, Adesanmi said although the workers are still loyal to the government, they won’t tolerate comments about their welfare that could strain the relationship between the workforce and the government.

    Clarifying the level of government’s indebtedness to workers, Adesanmi said: “The state workers’ benefits are in different categories thus: pension, gratuity, deductions and salary. “As we speak now, the state civil servants are owed  five months’ salary arrears,  local government, eight months and institutions on subvention, like College of Education Ikere, College of Health Technology Ijero and Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, are owed seven month salary arrears.

    “One cannot but talk about the plight of the pensioners, because one day we will all retire, either on account of age or length of service. As of now, pensioners are  being owed five months pension arrears while gratuity has not been paid since 2012 when former Governor Kayode Fayemi was in the saddle. Ekiti workers are not oblivious of the economic recession that had depleted the financial strength of many states of the federation, including Ekiti.

    “Let me state that we all owe it a responsibility to contribute to the development of this state, but we need to give out correct and accurate information to the public , so that the government and workers can be on the same page, otherwise there will be friction. I want to appeal to the already restive workers to be patient, particularly those who were ruffled by the information,” he said.

  • Clampdown politically motivated —Commissioner

    Clampdown politically motivated —Commissioner

    Ekiti State Commissioner for Information, Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Lanre Ogunsuyi, has described the arrest of the Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo and the Accountant General, Mrs. Yemisi Owolabi, as an act of “executive recklessness politically motivated.”

    Ogunsuyi said he sympathised with individuals and interest groups celebrating the EFCC clampdown which he said would not affect the presidential dream of Governor Ayo Fayose.

    He dismissed allegations of treasury looting, operation of secret Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) accounts and jacking up of contracts of Ado-Ekiti flyover and New Market, among others, as a “figment of the imagination of those peddling them.”

    Ogunsuyi described the Fayose administration as “the most transparent and the most prudent in the history of Ekiti State,” challenging anybody with contrary proof to come out with same.

    He said: “The arrest of the Commissioner and Accountant General is an act of executive recklessness and politically motivated. Assuming that the duo are wanted, why did the EFCC choose the day of declaration when they followed their boss to Abuja as the day to arrest them?

    “The same EFCC has refused to treat several petitions against former Governor Kayode Fayemi’s handling of the state finances during his administration. Chief Ojo and Mrs Owolabi are visible, accessible and always at their offices.

    “I sympathise with those celebrating what the EFCC has done. It is quite unfortunate.

    “Ekiti is in difficult financial situation because of the repayment of loans obtained by Fayemi, and we have repaid N40 billion in the last 36 months deducted at N1.2 billion per month.

    “The allegations of treasury looting and financial mismanagement being peddled some mischievous individuals and groups only exist in their imaginations. Let them bring out concrete evidence or keep shut forever.

     

  • APC slams Fayose over declaration of presidential ambition

    APC slams Fayose over declaration of presidential ambition

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has criticised Governor Ayo Fayose for declaring his intention to contest the 2019 presidential election while he is owing workers in the state salaries and allowances ranging from six to eight months.

    The party described the governor’s action as the height of insensitivity to the people’s plight and an “irresponsible conduct to behave as if Ekiti State treasury is a personal estate for private comfort.”

    In a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti by the Publicity Secretary of APC, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the party flayed the governor for “being blind to the sufferings of workers while pursuing self-promoting presidential ambition.”

    He said it was unconscionable for the governor to keep deceiving workers on the state’s poor finances to endure suffering while he enjoyed full life with his family and pursue mundane fancies without sparing a thought for the sufferings of the people.

    Olatunbosun said: “It is the height of wickedness for Fayose to always call teachers to meetings like he did this week to brainwash them on the state’s poor finances and later give them N1,500 pittance for transport until the next brainwashing session with these teachers on empty stomachs while he enjoys full life misapplying state’s money for his fancies.

    “This is more condemnable against the backdrop of facts available to Ekiti people that Fayose has been awarding contracts at over-bloated costs to his friends outside Ekiti State, contrary to his promise to patronise indigenous contractors during his campaigns.

    He contended that the money the state had collected since the governor assumed office was enough to make the people happy if he had applied the money honestly and transparently, adding that Thursday’s declaration of his presidential ambition was meant to distract the people from alleged funds mismanagement in pursuit of a selfish ambition.

    “The presidential declaration is a distraction to keep Ekiti busy from keeping attention to his illegality in the application of Ekiti money for selfish purposes and a ploy to embark on whipping up sentiments to escape justice in his misapplication of Ekiti money.

    “We urge the EFCC to be meticulous in their investigation into how the governor misapplied bailout of N20b, CBN’s N2b loan for small-scale enterprises, N10b loan for projects, N2.8b UBEC/Subeb counterpart fund (which was not matched by the state government), monthly allocation from the Federation Account to Local government councils and Paris Club cash that he has diverted to his ill-motivated projects for selfish motives while Ekiti people go to bed on empty stomachs.”

  • APC faults Fayose’s claim on alleged marginalisation of Ekiti

    APC faults Fayose’s claim on alleged marginalisation of Ekiti

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has challenged Governor Ayo Fayose’s claim that the state is not gaining anything from the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government.

    It said instances of the Federal Government’s assistance abound that should have lifted Ekiti people from their present sorry state if the governor had applied various financial aids by the Federal Government honestly.

    Fayose had said in his last media chat, Meet Your Governor, on state radio and television that the Federal Government has not rendered any assistance to Ekiti State.

    He also said that he had not borrowed any money since his assumption of office in 2014, maintaining that all the state’s debts were incurred by the administration of his predecessor, Dr Kayode Fayemi.

    He also said the loans taken by the last administration would be fully repaid in 2036.

    But reacting in a statement on Thursday by the Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the party berated the governor for always lying to the public to deny various aides he had received from the Federal Government to settle workers’ salaries and projects implementation.

    Listing various instances of assistance the governor had enjoyed from the Federal Government, Olatunbosun explained:

    “Besides regular payment of statutory monthly allocations, including the August allocation that Fayose himself put at N2.3b, the governor borrowed N10b from the Federal Government for projects and took another N2b from the Central Bank for small-scale business but diverted the money as no small-scale entrepreneur received kobo.

    “He took two tranches of bailout of about N20b, N14b in Budget Support Facility and the last Paris Club N4.7b refund largely for salary payment but diverted all to the flyover and new market projects awarded to his friends’ companies in which he allegedly has interest.

    “Fayose who said that the state has not benefitted anything from the Federal Government is in charge of the Federal Government’s N-Power project, school feeding programme and cash transfer programme in which beneficiaries take N5,000 and he has used his position as governor to ensure that it is only his supporters that have benefitted from some
    of these schemes.

    “The Federal Government has also commenced Federal Housing Project around Agric Olope area of Ado-Ekiti while the Federal Secretariat construction has started in the state capital even while his needless but most costly flyover in Nigeria in Ado-Ekiti is a Federal road on which he will be reimbursed by the Federal Government.

    “The question is, where is Fayose getting loans for these projects if it is true that the Federal Government is not patronising the state in spite of Fayose’s refusal to attend National Economic Council meetings where his colleagues in other states table their problems for the assistance of the Federal Government that he prefers to abuse through paid adverts in the newspapers?”

    Olatunbosun accused the governor of sabotaging the state’s interest in his needless fight against the President, explaining that while other governors were keying into the Federal Government’s development projects, Fayose preferred to launch attacks against the President.

    He added: “While Lagos, Jigawa, Kano, Benue, Osun, Ondo and Kebbi, among others, were keying into the agricultural scheme of the Federal Government in rice production and were showing the blue prints for the scheme, Fayose had nothing to show to the point that his Commissioner of Agriculture was asked to present the state’s agricultural agenda but the poor man was askance, as he was not able to say anything because Fayose has no plan for agriculture.

    “Again, recently, when other governors were being asked to show interest in mining prospecting licences, Fayose was at the time busy in the media talking about the non-existent 11 pictures of President Buhari on life-support machines while other governors were signing up for their states, including Governor Rotimi Akeredolu who was sworn in just a few months before the time.”

  • How national assembly can turn Nigerian economy around – Oloniboko

    How national assembly can turn Nigerian economy around – Oloniboko

    Oloniboko Sesan Isaac is an Oil and Gas expert with over 20years experience in the sector desiring to run as Member of the House of Representatives to represent Ekiti North Federal Constituency 2 comprising of Moba, Ido/OSI and Ilejemeje Local Government Areas of Ekiti-State in 2019.

    In this interview with Opeyemi Samuel, Oloniboko speaks on his commitment to socio-economic development as well as his idea of a better Nigeria.

    With your experience, how do you plan giving back to the society?

    I work as a developing geologist in one of the IOC’s in Lagos, I am a technocrat that has put in over 20 years working experience in the oil and gas  industry and with this experience, I am aspiring to see how I would be able to give back to my community and to my nation in the area of service. It has been in my system, it has been part of me to give back to the community.

    In my secondary school days, I happened to be one of the representatives in Ekiti Parapo College then and to God be the glory, when I was admitted into the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), I became the Chief Whip of the student representative council in FUTA and there and then we achieved quiet a lot of things like freedom of press and we were able to get scholarships and bursary awards that has never happened in history.

    I could vividly recollect while I was in FUTA, and Ekiti State was created then, we led the first set of delegation to the then Governor and the Military Administrator of the Ekiti State we engaged him on the need to get bursary across to the students and we were successful. As a leader then, we were the first set of people who were able to get bursary, because it was N500 then from Ekiti State to all Ekiti students schooling all over Nigeria.

    Since then it has been in me to give back to my community and as a person, I rose to the cradles, grew up in Ido Ekiti my university was in Akure, every other thing put together; I am an holistic person who see things holistically, who see things the way it suppose to be so that the community can benefit from what we have on ground, thank you.

    How do you see this as a Call to service?

    At this level with my technical exposure as a technocrat based on experience, based on age and exposure, I am competent to vie for the office or to be a Rep member at the Federal House of Representatives come 2019. This aspiration has been in me as far back as 2011, I was a party man then, moving from ACN to APC.

    I approached my constituency because you don’t stay in Lagos and say your are vying, I am from Ido-osi, and it is one of the Local Government that constitute Ekiti North Federal constituency 2, we have Moba, we have Ileje-Meje and we have Ido-osi and in those constituencies we have about 32 wards, and there and then I was able to meet with all the Chairmen of my ward in my local government and I told them this is my aspiration, this is what I want to do for you, I want to go and represent you the way others have not done before, I tried then but it didn’t work out; that was when my elderly colleague Baba Robinson got the post and as a party man you stay within your party to make sure you build the party.

    Build experience to make sure you are able to deliver as the time comes. Recently I approached them and told them I still have a lot to offer based on my experience, based on my exposure; you know like I said before I have been out of this country on different trainings, and when you are on a technical training in such manner, you are not just focusing on the trainings because you are meeting people from different environment and different climes and you are trying to understand how things work on their side, those are the things I have in my memory in my capacity, in my capability to be able to go to the Federal House of Representative in 2019 and deliver the dividends of democracy to my people.

    What’s your dispostion of present political dispensation?

    I must be frank with you, the present National Assembly is doing their best, but for now their best is not enough to pull Nigeria out of the present economic situation we have found ourselves, and they can still put more effort. Recently we have seen quite a lot of bills that has been passed and if those bills find themselves into the economy of Nigeria, if their impact is felt, Nigeria will come out of this present economy imbroglio and we would put our feet in the committee of nations in the world.

    They are quite a lot of very intelligent people in that house, when I listened to their open discussions in the senate on Channels I know we have quite a lot of intelligent people who can push positions in that place, they need to up their game; they need to do more, of course they are trying but they can still do more.

    If someone like me coming from the oil industry, from energy and environment find myself in the committee on energy in the house, you should expect constructive contribution that will make sure that our oil industry in Nigeria would be one of the best in the world, and to make sure that a lot of youths are engaged because one thing I have realised in recent time is that there are quite a lot of young guys coming from other countries to come and work in Nigeria; why don’t you have more guys in Nigeria going out there to work as experts because when you work as expert you make yourself internationally marketable and you will be called everywhere to come and work and with that we are trying to reduce some level of unemployment in the system. We have the capacity; we have what is needed to equip those guys so that they also can be experts the way also experts are working in Nigeria.

    Kindly brief us on your developmetal agenda?

    As far as we are concerned today in Ido-osi, our major hold is agriculture, however on the other hand there are quite a lot of things that have fall into place. I was discussing with a colleague recently that as far as that local government is concerned it is possible to venture into quarry. The federal government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari has recently approved and funded the construction of a lot of rail lines.

    If you see where rail-lines are constructed you will see very viable granites that are used in the rail construction. It is just for investors coming in and it is just for us to approach our leader who is the present minister for mines and mineral development because they are the ones that grant license for quarry; it is just to sign a memorandum of understanding that I would be able to supply you a tonne of granites.

    Imagine if they are getting that tonne of granite like let say 10,000, and say because of what we have, we have the raw materials and using all the facilities we have presently in Ido-osi, I am telling you Ido-osi alone will be able to supply all the granites that are needed for all the construction of all the rails we have in Nigeria, and you know the level of employment that will generate, and the level of engagement it will generate for the youths in my community.

    These are the things that kept crossing my mind and I believe with good leadership in Ekiti State, good leadership in Nigeria we would be able to get the youths of Ido-osi employed, and with that there would be reduction in restiveness. Another thing that I am looking at is the way at which drug proliferation has continued in that area is unprecedented.

    If our youths are engaged, if they are re-oriented they do away with those things then you can engage them. They are quite a lot of artisans in Ido-osi who can do their work without being engaged in criminalism, they are a lot of guys who are fashion designers, who are masons and bricklayers and those who construct aluminium windows. Those guys can be fully engaged, and when they are engaged, criminality is reduced; guys are employed even if they decide to go to school, then there is a better chance for you to make sure that you are somebody in life. Give you agood career talk on courses to do, even the courses that people think they are irrelevant; there is no course as far as this country is concerned that is not relevant, it is a function of the person that is doing it and the eagerness and the effort one has put to what he is doing. They would be relevant, they would be useful and the community would be less restive, you can’t eliminate criminalism, but you can reduce it drastically and before you realise people who are still interested in doing crime would withdraw their selves and the community will be free and we will be part of the system that we want to represent.

    Putting Ekiti in perspective, what do you think?

    Well to me as of today, the present administration of his Excellency Governor Ayodele Fayose has not lived to people’s expectation because I remembered quite a lot of things he said he would do while vying for the post in 2014, today they still remain a mirage. Based on my discussion recently, it is not Kebbi State that should partner Lagos State in rice production; Ekiti State has older history of rice production compared to Kebbi.

    We produce rice in Igbemo, while I was growing up in secondary school I was doing my holiday job in rice farm, because they are quite a lot of rice farms and the birds are there to disturb; yours is to be there during the day and dislocate those birds. Imagine if Lagos State had partnered Ekiti State in rice production, I cannot imagine the volume of money that will be in Ekiti State now.

    Last week about 70 trailers of rice came from Kebbi State into Lagos State and even if those bags of rice are sold for N6,000, imagine the volume of rice that will come to Lagos from Ekiti, it should not be Kebbi partnering Lagos, or Lagos partnering Kebbi. If the administration we have has taken agriculture with all seriousness, with all concern, Ekiti State by now should be smiling.

    Look at the development in Taraba State, Taraba State has irrigation but they are making fruits like lettuce, cucumber, carrots and many other fruits and they are bringing them to Lagos for quick market and then you realise the volume of money in Kebbi, Taraba and Adamawa now. Ekiti state is in the best position; it is on the pedestal and has a better advantage to bring those things to Lagos than those areas because the distance between Lagos and Ekiti is 3 hours.

    Imagine if 70 trailers of rice are coming from Ekiti bringing rice to Lagos, my people in Ekiti will be smiling now but it is not the order of the day. Federal government has silos in Ekiti, it is for Ekiti to make us of the opportunity by going into agriculture and fill those silos.