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Tag: Ekiti STATE

  • Bad omens from Ekiti

    Bad omens from Ekiti

    Attacks on the judiciary in the state must be investigated and culprits brought to book

    The orchestrated attack on the judiciary in Ekiti State is a manifestation of a deep malaise in our polity, which must stop. We mean here the double whammy of corruption of the polity and gross intolerance. Regardless of who may eventually be found culpable for that cowardly attack on the defenceless judicial officials and the desecration of the temple of justice on Monday and Thursday, last week in Ado-Ekiti, the temerity of the hoodlums and the indifference or connivance of the state security agencies should worry any law-abiding citizen of our country. For those who sponsored the mayhem, they should hide their heads in shame, more so if they lay any claim to being democrats.

    According to press reports, the gangsters first sacked the High Court in Ado-Ekiti, presided over by Justice Isaac Ogunyemi, on Monday, following the ruling of the court that it has jurisdiction to hear the case against Mr. Ayodele Fayose, the Governor-elect of Ekiti State, who was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last gubernatorial election. The suit before Justice Ogunyemi was brought by the Citizens Popular Party and one Adeniyi Ajakaye and others, challenging the eligibility of Mr. Fayose to contest the election. In the ruling which allegedly triggered the anger of the hoodlums suspected to be supporters of the governor-elect, the court dismissed the preliminary objection filed by Mr. Fayose, and assumed jurisdiction to determine the substantive case.

    The tragedies turned a choreography when again last Thursday, a new wave of mayhem descended on the High Court, which is also hosting the election petition tribunal, hearing the petition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the declaration of Mr. Fayose as the elected governor of the state, in the election. As reported in the press, the office of the Chief Judge of the state was invaded, while record books were shredded and proceedings in the court disrupted. In the commotion, Justices Akintayo and J. O. Adeyeye were assaulted and the suit of the latter torn to shreds. Also, the car belonging to the chairman of the tribunal, Justice Muhammed Siraj, was smashed.

    Interestingly, Mr. Fayose, despite the manifest partisanship exhibited by the vagabonds in favour of his interests while attacking the courts, has denied the hoodlums or having any knowledge that any of the judges was molested. He questioned rhetorically: “How can I order the people to beat up a judge that has nothing to do with me? At what point was the judge beaten? Was he a member of the tribunal, because I went to the tribunal and not the regular court”.  The governor-elect went ahead to boast, “The strategy of APC will not work. Nobody, no matter how highly placed, will remove me cheaply”. If the reports are correct, then Mr. Fayose does not need to go far to appreciate why Justice Adeyeye was attacked.

    As we earlier stated, whoever orchestrated this ignoble attacks on the High Court of Ado-Ekiti and the judiciary, which without equivocation is the very foundation of democracy, has shown overwhelmingly that he or she is a mere pretender to the democratic cause. Also distressing is the claim that policemen and other security agencies thinned down as the hoodlums increased and eventually vapourised, such that the hooligans had a field day molesting and assaulting judges, lawyers, court officials, litigants and the general public within the precincts of the state High Court. Whether the police were overwhelmed or merely acquiesced or connived to desecrate the temple of justice an enquiry should unravel.

    To show how grievous the situation in Ekiti State is, the chief judge, Justice A. S. Daramola has ordered the closure of all courts in the state for security reasons. Of course those most affected by the closure are the ordinary litigants and their lawyers who ordinarily would want their matters to go on expeditiously. As for those who wanted their cases prolonged, the fall-out will be of immense joy to them, as the closure has achieved the objective of stopping the speedy trial of the very germane issues concerning the recent election in Ekiti State. The state government’s declaration of dusk-to-dawn curfew on Friday should also be seen in the context of the violence that had been recurring since the sad incident of Monday.

    On our part, we demand that the federal authorities order the police and other security agencies to live up to their constitutional responsibility by providing adequate security for the judiciary in the state. We also urge the national Bar and the Bench to rise up and defend their primary constituency.

  • Ekiti transition panel begins work

    THE Transition Committee put in place by Ekiti State for the October 16 inauguration of the new administration began work yesterday.

    The transition committee, which is made up of some top functionaries of the incumbent administration and nominees of the governor-elect, at the inaugural meeting, promised to work in harmony in the interest of Ekiti people.

    Its Chairman and Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Ganiyu Owolabi, inaugurated the committee on behalf of Governor Kayode Fayemi at the Executive Council Chambers of the Governor’s Office, Ado-Ekiti.

    The governor gave an approval that the chairman of the governor-elect’s Transition Committee, Chief Dipo Anisulowo, be appointed a co-chairman to ensure equity and fairness.

    Anisulowo was represented at the inauguration by Mr. Owoseni Ajayi.

    In his opening remarks, Owolabi said the committee is composed of members he described as “veterans,” who had acquired experience through their service in government.

    He promised the readiness of the committee to ensure a seamless transition expected to climax in the inauguration of the governor-elect on October 16.

    Owolabi noted that the fusion of the nominees from both sides of the divide into a single committee would give opportunities to clarify issues where necessary rather than resort to falsehood.

    He stressed that the Fayemi administration still has the mandate and legitimacy of the people of Ekiti State till October 15, promising that actions would be taken only in the interest of the people.

    The committee chairman said government officials superintending over the affairs of 193 ministries, departments and agencies have been directed to prepare handover notes to guide the committee in taking decisions.

    He explained that the committee would break into sub-committees to bring various proposals to the table ahead of the inauguration.

    Ajayi, who spoke on behalf of Anisulowo, expressed satisfaction with the relationship existing between Fayemi and Fayose after the announcement of the June 21 election result.

    He stressed that the maturity displayed by the duo was aimed at ensuring Ekiti people get the best.

    The chairman stated that the committee members were not oblivious to the fact that both sides had traded words in the media, adding that the committee is an opportunity to bridge the gap between them.

  • ‘PDP can’t defeat APC in Osun’

    ‘PDP can’t defeat APC in Osun’

    Legal luminary and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), in this interview with BISI OLADELE, reflects on the recent Ekiti State governorship election and contends that the outcome of the Osun poll will be different.

    What is your reaction to the outcome of the Ekiti  State governorship poll?

    Well, the Ekiti State election appears to all of us as the harbinger of the major elections in 2015, although we had the Anambra State election before it. But, the Ekiti election served as the opener and the Osun election is fast approaching. These two elections are key to what will happen in 2015 and this worries someone because there is probably something that happened that is not clear to everyone. That result, to people like us, who have had the opportunity to go to Ekiti from Ondo State, and are also neighbours to Ekiti, will agree that the result of the election is not a true reflection of the people’s wish. People have come up with several ideas as to what went right and what went wrong. But I think people are not deceived as to lose sight of the impact of what good governance has done to Ekiti State with Fayemi as the governor it does not follow reason. Or how logical is it that people will push aside achievements as Fayemi has made and vote against him in all local governments?

    The APC has lost the governorship election in Ekiti. What does this portend for 2015?

    Well, that was why I said the Ekiti  election was a forerunner to the 2015 election for the APC. One can still live by and accommodate the Ondo State election. The ACN then, was not the party in power. It is still tolerable in spite of the fact that the voters’ register was injected with over 160,000 names. The incumbency, we can still say, is one of the major factors. But, here in Ekiti, it does not stand to reason, it is not logical. Those indigenes from Ekiti through the media have just woken up from a bad dream to say this is not possible. What does this now portend for the APC? Of course, it is a dangerous trend, which is why the Osun State election has become one to prove that the APC is still in total control of the Southwest, in spite of whatever has happened in Ondo and Ekiti.

    What is the chance of the APC in the Osun governorship election? 

    Osun State is a different place, no doubt. The governor is a grassroots person. Luckily, that was what probably people did not realise when he started and he talked about “Walk to Live.” That is a mass mobilisation kind of event and this happened every month. I have attended a couple of them and you need to be there to see how people trooped out to follow him. So, in Osun’s case, you need to have attended the rallies. I was at the one in Ile-Ife to see the way people turned out. I am talking about the multitude. You would have seen that it is not one in which they are pretending, people are showing true love to their candidate. So, in Osun’s case it is neither like Ondo nor like Ekiti. Whether we like it or not, Rauf  Aregbesola is enshrined in the minds of the people, not like Ekiti. He is a grassroots person, he has organised programmes which he uses to relate with the people and people still respond.

    Many SSS men and other security forces have been deployed in Osun. What is the APC’s view on this?

    The APC’s view on this has been clear and said over and over again; that  the over-militarisation of a civil event like an election is not welcome by us. It is an attempt to subvert the will of the people and that was what was done in Ekiti. They carried the militarisation in Ekiti to an extent that the party itself is trying to take up a suit. You do not come in the wee hour of the election and arrest the opposition. You are scaring them and their leadership so that you can perpetrate all sorts of illegalities. This was what happened in the Ekiti State election. Do not bring soldiers. We do not need military men during elections. It is not a war situation. What do we need military men for during elections? If the Nigerian police cannot mobilise enough men and officers during election, then, there is a problem.

    So, what will happen during the general elections? They will deploy the entire military force across the country, painting a bad picture for the general election? Our party has said: “No.” We tried in Lagos with some actions saying no to militarisation in election, before election or after election. It is unwarranted, it is dehumanising. Incidentally, when Rotimi Ameachi was harassed out of Ekiti, I was one of those that went to meet him. The soldiers were clear in their words that they had orders not to allow him interact with anyone. You restrict people’s movement. Is that normal? Is it constitutional? He did what he could do, explained himself that he knew the governor. But, he was denied entrance into Ekiti State. They did not allow the plane of Gov. Oshiomhole to take off from Edo State.

    The planes of Rabiu Kwakanso and others from Kano State were not allowed to land. The plane of others from Ondo could not take off from Akure back to Ekiti because the airport was closed by the military. You cannot adopt this method and still say that the election was free and fair. It was not. So, these are the examples of unfairness that happened in Ekiti State and we are saying it loud and clear that they should not repeat it in  Osun State. But it appears that they are determined to go ahead to militarise the process, prior to the election and during the election. What I am sure of is that they will be biting more than what they can chew in Osun because people are wiser. They had it in Ekiti, but the Osun people are wiser, they will react to it. Of course, any chaos will disrupt the election, so it will be wise enough if they allow the police to man the civil event.

    What is your reaction to the militarisation of elections?

    I have said it over and over again that we should now back up our complaints with action. I think our party should start with civil disobedience, if we say no election should hold, especially now that we have military men around. It is not wrong at all. All we have to do is mobilise the people for a peaceful protest. We are not going to burn houses or cause any chaos. We just need to sit down, stage a protest before the election. That is a way to say that this cannot continue. I will advise my party not to take things lightly because you might be here for good, but the military is not here for good. They are not there for good because what has happened in Ekiti State is a signal to us, where Daramola and others were taken from their houses and arrested. We do not want a repetition of that in Osun State. The time has come for us to back our words and complaint with action. The election must not hold, unless the military is taken out of the picture. For someone like me, I believe we do not need the military there for anything. I believe anything the military wishes to do, the police can serve that purpose.

    Controversy has trailed the achievements of Governor Aregebesola. Is this not a minus as the state goes to poll? 

    I think  the APC is going to win the election in Osun State. I have no doubt. I travel there often and I can see the things on ground there already. You know, some matters are based on fallacy and rumour by the PDP candidate and other parties. Let’s ask ourselves, which government is not owing? Even, the Federal Government and the American government is in debt. They are still paying the money. There is no country in the world today that is not in debt, probably not China and that is because of their approach. But there is no country that is not in debt. Even in Nigeria, there is no state that is not in debt. Even Lagos State is in debt. Borrow money to do good things for your state. You have men and material, you have the capability to build. So, there are one or two things you can borrow money and do and people now come up and say he borrowed money for some things. He borrowed money for necessary things and people can say this is what the money was used for. The great schools he built, the Opon Imo device, the uniforms he introduced, the greatest of them is feeding in the schools. It is a known fact that there are several children who attend school today who their parent cannot afford proteinous food for them. This is what is being done in the primary and secondary schools in Osun State. It is a great thing that is being done. It allows the mental development of the children. If he is borrowing money to feed the children so that at the end of the day, he can have good brains who will excel in their primary, secondary and tertiary schools and come out and make the state proud; they will be able to come and bail the state out. It is just pure politics that people are shouting about his borrowing. Which state does not borrow money?

    Which of his achievements do you consider the greatest?

    The roads. This just did not happen overnight. It must have come from years of researching and travelling. For you to construct the roads, the drains, he has shown that he was truly the Commissioner for Works in Lagos for good eight years. And he has made significant impact on roads. You need to see the good road network here and there. Not just any road, but also the interior ones that can be seen by the people here and there. Those who go to the farm use the roads to go to their farms and also to transport their crops here and there to sell. It becomes easier for them. They do not take short cuts that are stressful and take their time again, and they transport their goods in less than two to three hours. So, it saves them time. It is a great achievement. He has done a lot also in the area of farming. Before, there were some farmers who just get their land, plough the land, plant and leave. But now, there are mechanized ways of farming. Most of them have harvested a lot. Aregbesola also engaged thousands of youths.  People were complaining. They would have been on the road, but now, a lot of them have turned the money they are being paid round and use it to earn more income. There are lots of them who have testified that with the money they were being paid, they have become employers of labour. Some have become self employed. So, when you employ thousands of people, as he has done, it is commendable. Whether anybody likes it or not, the Opon Imo too is a big project. so, apart from feeding and the welfare among countless things he has done, I think Rauf Aregbesola has shown that he is a visionary leader. The vision he has for Osun must be allowed to blossom. I call on the people of Osun not let anybody cut short that vision because the State of Osun is marching forward with him as the governor. In less than four years, Osun will be another Eldorado.

    The APC has lost Ekiti and Adamawa states. Now, they want to impeach the Nasarawa State governor. Will this not affect the party in next year’s elections?

    It will certainly affect the election. It all depends on what happens in the state. Take Adamawa, for instance. That is not to say that the APC will not win in that state. Assuming they have managed to remove Nyako, we have people like Atiku there, who should be able to work towards producing the next governor. Until we see the final result, we cannot say the APC does not have a chance. With the calibre of people in Adamawa APC and also Atiku, if they put in their best, I think the APC will emerge as the winner in the next election. I want to believe Ekiti is temporary.  The APC will come back, we are in the tribunal and we have our facts. I do not think we have lost those two states. I think we can salvage the elections, salvage through the court process. At the end of the day, we will have the states back. As for Nasarawa, I am sure that, reason will prevail. I am sure that if they set up a panel they will find him not guilty and we will still have Nasarawa. And in 2015, if election is held in February, he is going to come back.

     

    What about Governor Oshiomhole of Edo State?

    They here are only jokers in Edo. The people who are in the minority came up and said they wanted to impeach the governor when all they relied on was federal might. I know it is impossible because Oshiomole is a grassroots man and he can mobilize very well. That is what he has been doing all his life. I do not think they have a chance. If they go beyond a particular limit, then he will be able to mobilize people. I assure you of one thing, assuming the Federal Government is able to carry out those things, that is not a sign that they will win the 2015 elections.

    The 2015 presidential election is a different thing entirely. There are many things to put into consideration. The Federal Government cannot put the military in one place. It is an election throughout the whole country. The military and the police will spread out and at this time, I think the people will stand by their votes. I have always said it over and over again, if there is an infringement on your right, you do not have to first go to the court. You must stand your ground and seek redress there and then proceed for the action.

    There is no amount of court order that will put an end to impunity and it has become a cankerworm that has gone deep into us. It is only in Nigeria that people will do wrong and beat their chest and say: “Yes, we have done it.” And nothing will happen to them. Ideally, in a sane society, you must search your conscience for the wrong you have committed against the people; you must feel bad against it. So, if they fail to feel bad about it, it is the duty of the people to call their bluff. Nigerians must be ready to call the bluff of anyone who believes impunity should be the order of the day. Do not wait for the court to tell you what to do,  if your vote and your voting right is tampered with, call off their bluff there and then.

     

     

    What you have been saying all along is that PDP is not likely to win the 2015 presidential election. Why do you think so?

    I mean it, PDP cannot win because I do not think that people will want to continue with the lack-luster presidency. They are not people who will want to have a clueless presidency. You see, has it ever happened in the history of this society where we have this level of insecurity and the president has no clue to it? Nigerians are no fools, the suffering in this country today in the area of energy and light, that we have spent lot money to purchase darkness, is much. And you expect the person to rule? Nigerians are tired of PDP rule; 15 to 16 years and nothing to show for it. I know the PDP cannot win. The only thing they can do is to want to rig the election and I think Nigerians will call off their bluff. Nigerians must be prepared to do it, whatever it takes; we must be prepared to do it, to call off their bluff.

     

     

    What is your sincere advice to all voters in Osun State across all political parties?

    My sincere advice is: “please come out to vote according to your conscience. You can see the good works. Nigerians have a way of perpetrating negative things. I know another lexicon has come into our own dictionary now called ‘stomach infrastructure.’ Do not let that influence whatever you want to do. Think about it, look at what has been done in the last four years, look at what was done seven years before then, compare it, then make a choice. I can only advise you, the choice is yours. I call on people in the various political parties to consider the assessment, look at what has been done in those seven years and past four years, be honest and vote for Rauf Aregbesola.

     

  • Amala, rice, corn politics

    Following the surprise victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Ekiti State governorship election,  Ayodele Fayose, it is understandable why supporters  and sympathisers of the All Progressive Congress (APC) are worried about the fate of the party in the forth coming Osun State gubernatorial election and future elections in the South West.

    There are those who fear that the APC may lose its dominant status in the region if the party’s governors do not take necessary measures to prevent a repeat of the Ekiti experience. There have been claims that one of the major reasons Fayose won the election was because he was able to ‘connect’ with the majority of the citizens of the state by providing  ‘stomach infrastructure’  instead of propounding some grandiose policies  of what he hopes to accomplish if he is elected.

    Abimbola Adelakun, a columnist in The Punch captured the joke which the Ekiti election has been reduced to with a facebook post in which she wrote: The lesson of Ekiti Election, serve your rice raw.

    Consequently, APC governors and candidates of other parties have been bombarded with unsolicited advice about the need to adopt what they termed the Fayose’s populist political campaign style to ensure victory.

    Apparently irked by this line of thought, which he said has even been suggested to him by some members of his cabinet, the Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has said he will not reduce governance in his state to ‘Amala’ politics of  sharing rice and money instead of neglecting infrastructural development.

    I agree with Amosun that this advice, informed by those who want the governors to win at all cost is not only an insult on the intelligence of the people but a disservice to the electorate who elected them based on various electoral promises the governors made.

    While there may be lessons for the governors to learn from the Ekiti about matching polices with politics, it will be unfortunate if genuine developmental policies will have to be sacrificed to satisfy momentary needs and selfish political interests.

    Governors and other elected political office holders should strive to meet the expectations of those who elected them and improve on their standard of living, but this should not be done at the expense of the introduction of policies needed to raise the standard of productivity and service in the states.

    If some teachers voted against Fayemi in protest against the introduction of competency test as alleged, Ekiti State is the ultimate loser as it will have to continue to have teachers who are not competent to raise the standard of education as required to meet new realities.

    Edo State governor has reportedly backed down on the sack of teachers who failed the competency test for fear of the political backlash. I would rather have governors who would do what is right and in the best interest of the state now and in the future, instead of those who are so desperate to do anything to remain in office.

    The picture of a governorship candidate of a party holding roasted corn he bought on the roadside has gone viral on facebook. Obviously, the picture is meant to be a publicity stunt to portray him as a  ‘man of the people’ life Fayose,  but the real implication is how cheap the basis for getting elected into political office  has become.

  • Germany-based publisher hits Ekiti for Fayemi

    Germany-based publisher hits Ekiti for Fayemi

    As the Ekiti State gubernatorial election draws near, incumbent governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kayode Fayemi has been receiving support from many sides, including the Diaspora. The publisher of a Germany-based international magazine, The African Courier, Femi Awoniyi, hits Ekiti, stumping for the governor SEUN AKIOYE writes

    For three weeks, Femi Awoniyi, the publisher of the Germany-based international magazine, The African Courier has been spreading a simple message in his home state of Ekiti: “Re-elect governor Fayemi for continued development of Ekiti State.”

    His model for conveying this message is in the form of interactive sessions with the youths, town hall meetings and mass rallies in all the electoral wards in the state.

    “Ekiti has never had it so good like in the past three-and-half-years and we should not stop the progress train,” said Awoniyi, an indigene of Ipole Iloro-Ekiti. “Everywhere you travel to in the state you see the positive touch of government.”

    His constant message on the campaign trail is that Ekiti will witness even more progress if Fayemi is re-elected and this message so reinforced has assumed a prophetic stance.

    ”There will be a boom in industrial development if Fayemi wins,” he predicted. “We direly need investment in the state to complement the good job that Fayemi is doing to enable us lay a solid basis for self-sustaining social and economic development of the state and that investment will only come if the business climate is right.”

    Awoniyi should know about development. Before becoming a journalist, he studied metallurgical engineering and worked in steel making and auto manufacturing for many years and living in a developed country for many decades has created a yearning for development.

    The publisher has been busy on the campaign trail. On June 5, he organised a rally in Ipole-Iloro, where over 300 people attended and also participated in the 10-km march though Ado-Ekiti by hundreds of youths which ended with a rally at the Moremi Park, on June 9. The event was to protest the killing of a young man a day earlier by the police and also to protest against the rude behaviour of the police towards Governor Fayemi, he addressed the rally.

    He has also organised youth forum in Aramoko. It was attended by more than 100 youths and several adults including the chairman of the local government and several councilors, where he appealed to them not to be swayed by those offering them cash for their votes, and to stand with Governor Fayemi for the continued progress of the state.

    The publisher, who is the convener of the Ekiti Diaspora Europe 2014, an organisation of Ekiti indigenes in Europe which has been organising seminars and workshops on the gubernatorial election in Germany and England also revealed that many overseas-based Ekiti State indigenes are in the country working for the re-election of Fayemi.

    “The reason why we came to campaign for Fayemi is to contribute to the development of the state because a vote for him is a vote for the future,” he said his eyes burning with optimism.

    He explained that despite living abroad, Ekiti indigenes in the Diaspora yearned for progress in their home state after seeing what damages seven years of insecurity, political instability and corruption did to the state before Fayemi became governor in 2010.”We have to stay on the path of progress that we have embarked on,” he said.

    Awoniyi hopes that Ekiti people will be allowed to freely and peacefully exercise their voting rights, warning against any attempts to manipulate the election. “Nobody can run roughshod over Ekiti people without dire consequences for the country,” he said, expressing his fears of a violent upheaval if the results of the polls were tampered with.

    “President Jonathan will discredit himself in world opinion if insecurity spreads to the southern part of the country as a result of his party’s attempts to rig elections,” Awoniyi warns.

    Finding Awoniyi on the campaign trail should be easy, most evenings in Ado-Ekiti, he could be seen at the parks, crowded street corners, restaurants and other popular places where people frequent, handing out flyers – which he printed from Germany – to the people and speaking to whoever cares to listen. Looking at the solitary campaigner, one is reminded of an old preacher who is dedicated to preaching the good news of his God.

  • #BringBackFayemi

    #BringBackFayemi

    Ordinarily, Saturday polls should be a walkover for the incumbent

    It’s been quite some time since I wrote on Ekiti State. Like most other Nigerians, I seemed to have gone to bed, believing that there is no reason to focus on that state, especially since it is now doing well in accordance with the aspirations of its founding fathers.  But this is not the time to be silent on a state renowned for its erudite scholars, at least not with the vultures and predators now lurking around, waiting to reap where they did not sow.

    Before I proceed to justify my support for the Kayode Fayemi administration, let me acknowledge the role played by the former governor of the state, Olusegun Oni, in the build-up to the coming June 21 governorship election in the state. Without prejudice to what anybody might say about the point that I want to make concerning Oni, the former governor under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), especially now that he has joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), I wish to salute Oni’s courage and forthrightness. I recall that in the course of the struggle by the then Action Congress (AC) to retrieve its stolen mandate from Oni a few years back, I was annoyed when a respected senior colleague told me that he knew Oni very well to be a gentleman.

    I had wondered how a gentleman could be comfortable not only keeping a stolen property, but also having the temerity to face the owner in court. With the benefit of hindsight, I now know better. It is not many people who will make the kind of decision that Oni made to join the APC, as he put it, in the interest of Ekiti State. As the former governor rightly said, it is the future of the state that is at stake in the coming governorship election. Oni had the choice of joining forces with those who do not share such an aspiration, and go to the centre for some filthy lucre, even as he knows deep in his heart that the PDP has no chance of winning any free and fair election in the state; he did not consider that option. This is a rarity in our clime. I salute his courage.

    Back to Fayemi. It is when orange is not sweet that one will be satisfied sucking just one; but when the oranges are juicy and sweet, one could suck as many as one feels like sucking. I hardly endorse political candidates in my column, whatever the political party they belong to, unless I have sufficient reason to so do. I guess the last time I did that was during the reelection bid of Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State. I also did that for Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State. And for those who might be wondering why it is only governors of the AC or APC that I am mentioning, let me also say that I have had cause to celebrate Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State in this column way back as three years ago when no one could have thought he would join the APC. All these are acclaimed achievers, politics apart. Again, for those who might want to say whether it is only in the south that we have performers, the answer is no. The point is that before I put pen on paper to say this candidate is good, I must be sure of my facts, and my main criterion is achievement.

    It is on that same pedestal that I stand today to commend Fayemi to Ekiti voters. Under normal circumstances, the election should be a walkover for Fayemi. His work should speak for him. But we are not in a country where circumstances are ever normal. Indeed, ours is a country where there is always cause for concern because everything is perpetually under alarm, especially when the matter has to do with elections.  What I am saying is that we are in a place where elections cannot be taken for granted, particularly when the PDP is involved. This is a party that has achieved next-to-nothing even at the centre , yet, it is its president who has been going about marketing the party’s candidates, a president who should lose his deposit even in his own ward! But that is Nigeria for you. And that, precisely, is what anyone who wants to contest the election with Fayemi wants to do: ride on the crest of that ubiquitous ‘federal might’, which in sane climes would have guaranteed nothing but electoral disaster. The people of Ekiti have tasted what life could be like under a PDP government and they have also tasted it under Fayemi and have seen the difference. There is just no basis for comparison. The gap between both is wider than that between apple and oranges.

    After the years of the locust, the south west has rediscovered its lost compass; it has woken up from its slumber to remember that the region used to be the pace setter in terms of development in the country. It is instructive that the governors of most states in the region know that they are like cows without tails that are at the mercy of God to ward off flies, unlike their PDP counterparts that look up to the Federal Government for crutches at election time. Even if that explains the efforts being made by governors in the region, particularly in Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti and Lagos states, including even Edo in the south south to leave enviable legacies that they would be proud of, it is something. What matters is that progress is being made in these states.

    I was in Ekiti about five years ago, and I was there again in December, last year. What I saw was amazing. It is unimaginable that anyone would have been able to make such a difference in less than four years, especially when it is realised that the state is not among those awash with petro-dollars. What are we talking about? Is it Fayemi’s social welfare grant of N5,000 to every old citizen in the state? This is commendable in a country where pensioners are left to their own device. And the uncommon transformation of the Ikogosi Warm Springs? Roads, especially intra-state roads in Ekiti are in good condition such that it takes only about one hour to travel from the state capital to anywhere in the state. Fayemi’s covenant with Ekiti people is encapsulated in his eight-point agenda which he has been pursuing diligently.  “My eight-point agenda would be pursued with vigour and life would be more abundant for our people. Governance shall not only be transparent and accountable but the good of our people would be the template,” the governor said during his inauguration in 2010. He has largely kept faith with that promise.

    Without doubt, those who chose Ayo Fayose (PDP) to contest against Fayemi either wanted the PDP to fail in the state ab initio or are relying on something else to ‘win’ the election.  This was the same Fayose who established a poultry project worth over N1billion as governor in the state which Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (also a PDP president then) was shocked the usual smell associated with poultries was missing in Fayose’s poultry when he visited the place! As a farmer, Chief Obasanjo should know and he did know that the poultry was a ruse. Moreover, Fayose has all manner of allegations hanging on his neck like a necklace of iron, and it is only a party suffering from an acute shortage of good men that could have fielded such a candidate and expect to win an election.

    All said, what people are pleading for is that the June 21 election in Ekiti State be free and fair. No more, no less. And that cannot be a misguided plea. Those who are relying on wars and chariots or crutches from the Federal Government or the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the election are advised to go dust up their history books. A word is enough for the wise.

  • Ekiti gets biggest duck farm in West Africa

    Ekiti State is set to be home to West Africa’s biggest duck farm.

    In a statement made available to The Nation, Fountain Ducks Farms Limited will occupy over 70 hectares of land, employ 300 direct workers and produce about 16, 000 ducklings per day.

    The initiator of the project and Managing Director of the farm, Rev. Gabriel Ayorinde, said, “Fountain Duck Farms will be a fully integrated agribusiness which will manufacture required feed in-house, install its own hatchery, with capacity to make poultry farms from neighbouring states benefit from its services.”

    The investors, who recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Fountain Holdings Limited, are currently inspecting sites to determine a choice location for the duck farm.

    Ayorinde also said the ducks that will be imported from the United States of America and Europe are choice species identified as the best quality for eggs and meat production which will improve protein intake of Ekiti people and others.

    According to Ayorinde, duck meat also has high export value and potential to generate foreign exchange thereby boosting the revenue of the state and Nigeria.

     

  • Kayode Otitoju gives out daughter in marriage

    Kayode Otitoju gives out daughter in marriage

    KAYODE Otitoju, former Ekiti State Commissioner for Information, Culture, Sports and Social Development gave out one of his daughters in marriage last Thursday in his Lekki home. The bride, Kunmi, who married her offshore lover has her foundation in Computer Science from Howard University.

    Kunmi is a fashion entrepreneur, and the founder of Minku, a family-run Nigerian leather goods company specialising in bags for men and women. All Minku’s products are hand-made at a workshop in Barcelona, Spain, but they are sold at high-end stores in Nigeria. She is listed this year by Forbes as one of the most promising African entrepreneurs.

    It would be recalled the Ekiti born politician, served under the administration of former governor, Ayo Fayose until their once rosy relationship went awry.

    No thanks to Fayose legal battle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and subsequent provision of surety for him by Otitoju.

    Trouble, later started when the ex-commissioner said he was no longer willing to use his properties to stand as surety for the People Democratic Party governorship candidate in the June 2014 election.

  • Ekiti contractors get ultimatum

    Ekiti contractors get ultimatum

    The Ekiti State government has given contractors handling Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) projects one week to move to site.

    Their contracts would be revoked, if they fail to do so.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on MDGs and Development Relations Mrs. Bunmi Dipo-Salami gave the ultimatum in her office in Ado-Ekiti at a meeting with the contractors.

    Mrs. Dipo-Salami said it was worrisome that some of the contractors failed to commence work after they were paid 30 per cent mobilisation fee and others were working at a slow pace.

    She said the government would not tolerate laziness and warned them against engaging in sharp practices.

  • Mega rally as Fayemi begins quest for second term

    Mega rally as Fayemi begins quest for second term

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has begun his bid for a second term in office with a mega rally in Ado-Ekiti. SULAIMAN SALAWUDEEN reports that eight governors from the All Progressives Congress (APC) were among the large crowd that attended the event.

    The Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, had throbbed and quaked in the presence of thousands of supporters and admirers of Dr. Kayode Fayemi, as he flagged off his campaigns for re-election as the Ekiti State governor last week.

    The event was attended by eight All Progressives Governors (APC) state governors including Alhaji Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Senator Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), represented by his deputy, Elder Peter Kishira, Alhaji Yori Abubakar (Zamfara), Owelle Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto) and Alhaji Murtala Nyako (Adamawa).

    Others in attendance were the former Ekiti State governor and APC Southwest National Vice Chairman, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sherif; Senators Babafemi Ojudu (Ekiti Central); Olubunmi Adetunmbi (Ekiti North); Tony Adeniyi (Ekiti South) and five House of Representatives members from the state including Hon. Robinson Ajiboye; Hon. Bimbo Daramola; Hon. Oyetunde Ojo; Hon. Ifeoluwa Arowosoge and Hon. Bamidele Faparusi.

    The lawmakers were joined by their colleagues from Ondo State including Senator Ajayi Borofice and many others. Many other political functionaries equally made it a date at an event which officially signified the commencement of campaigns by the APC Governorship candidate in the June 21 election.

    Also in attendance were the traders associations among which the market women and artisans featured prominently, student groups, and many more. The official outfit of Ankara on which the picture of the Dr. Fayemi as his party’s candidate was boldly printed, was worn by a minimum of 80 per cent of those who attended the event, including his colleagues from eight other states.

    Also on the campaign ground were a whole horde of notable figures from the nation’s entertainment industry, including high flying actors, actresses, musicians, alongside a motley line up of comedians. Fuji maestro, Adewale Ayuba and traditional music exponent, Elemure Ogunyemi dished tunes in timed turns as the event progressed.

    Some others, however, appeared in vests, donned fez caps and other wears, all branded boldly with the name Kayode Fayemi for Second Term and the logo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as every other item within the stadium including the various objects ballooned high up in the sky and visible even to those located elsewhere outside the stadium, urging people to ‘Vote Dr. Kayode Fayemi for Second Term’.

    As early as 9am, the stadium, now endowed with various colours reflective of the ordained duty it must undertake in the course of the day, had started receiving visitors as the gates were thrown open for party members and admirers who came in all manner of vehicles. It was gathered that representatives of the APC came from all the 16 council areas of the state and elsewhere. Entry into the stadium was initially not restricted, but the story changed later when it was apparent the spaces within the sprawling enclosure had been filled up.

    By the time the event officially kicked-off around noon, it was not sure again how many music bands were on hand, but it could be ascertained that they were more than one. Tunes upon tunes and beats upon beats spiced the event all through with each new magnificent entry and every new voice at the massive speakers got heralded by musical sounds in rather quick turns.

    It would be difficult to ascertain by how much the maximum number of 15,000 official capacity strength of the stadium was overshot. But, modesty assisted by objective imagination would suggest that rough estimates be fixed at double the official capacity fixture, given the fact that every available space within the stadium was filled, while hundreds of admirers and party faithful had no option than to stay outside, watching the event being beamed life on massive TV screens strategically positioned at several places outside the stadium as within it.

    Elsewhere around the stadium stood massive portraits and several posters of Governor Fayemi, commending his achievements and urging the electorate to re-elect him for the sustenance of the developmental strides which his administration had instituted in the state in three and a half years.

    Vehicular and pedestrian operations across the capital were also not free as major streets, especially those which bother the stadium, were guarded by fierce looking and heavily armed security personnel.

    Within the stadium and around were a complete line up of security and para-military personnel, including men of The Nigeria Police (NP), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC), the State Security Service (SSS) and others, who were engaged all through in controlling the ever surging crowd.

    Urging the electorate to see the coming election as an opportunity to assist the state with a credible leadership which had proven sincere commitment to its development, Fayemi maintained that “no one can deny the achievements I have made in the three and a half years of this administration”.

    According to him, the coming election was not about him, but about “consolidating his achievements and ensuring that the state does not go back to the dark days of one week, one trouble, violence and looting of public funds”.

    He equally warned the electorate not to be deceived by the wrong propaganda of the opposition politicians that he would ban commercial motorcycle riders and sack teachers if re-elected.

    Said he: “They know we are the state of teachers. They are trying to poison the minds of teachers. Fayemi will not sack teachers. Fayemi will keep employing more and more teachers. Fayemi will remunerate teachers. We are the only state that pays 20 percent rural teachers allowance in Nigeria.

    “We are also the only state that pays 20 percent core subjects allowance in Nigeria. If you are a core subject teacher including English, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, you are also receiving 20 per cent of your monthly basic salary on top of your normal salary. There is nothing that is independently verifiable that they can use against us with teachers and the teachers know better”.

    Debunking the claims of opposition parties that he would demolish markets if re-elected, the APC candidate said administration had in the past months been busy constructing ultra-modern markets across the communities in the state.

    Fayemi spoke further: “There are people who will come and promise heaven and earth. There are people who will tell you what they want to do. The advantage that I have as your son, as your brother, as your leader, is that I can tell you what I have done on education. I can tell you how I have made the lives of our elderly people better in Ekiti and how I have banished poverty in the lives of our elderly.

    “I can tell you what I have done in the area of infrastructure. I can tell you what I have done in the health sector. I can tell you what our women have benefitted by having a gender-sensitive leader. I can tell you what is happening in tourism in Ikogosi. I can tell you what we have done in reviving industries. I can tell you how we have made lives better by creating jobs and empowering our people.

     

    Even Governors extol Fayemi’s virtues

    Other Governors, including Wamakko, Nyako, Abubakar, Rochas, Ajimobi, Amosun, Aregbesola, spoke in turns, extolling the virtues of Governor Kayode Fayemi and urging the electorate to see in him an advantage to sustain the development process he instituted in the state three and a half years ago.

    Rochas Okorocha urged the electorate to see the governor as a man ordained by God himself to institute change in Ekiti, adding that “If Fayemi contests as governor in other states in Nigeria, he would win”. According to him, PDP means People Destroying People in English and in native slang it is ‘Papa Destroying Pikin’.

    Okorocha warned the electorate to be wary of a party whose 15-years reign has brought nothing to the country in terms of development, saying “If you want to measure their performance, remember what they did to our youths in Abuja stadium and other stadia across the country. Nigeria, under PDP, has become a country of no roads, no electricity, no jobs for the unemployed, no this, no that”.

    He said: “That is why we are bringing change with APC. Let me assure you that Fayemi’s victory in the next election has been signed sealed and delivered. Fayemi has the entire people of the state behind him. We should all support Fayemi with everything that we have. He also asked ‘How many people here will give Fayemi N100 for this election?’

    “If Fayemi contests as governor in another state, he will win. This is a young, handsome and ever articulate man. I tell the Ibos in this state to queue behind me as the Owelle Indigbo, Commander of the Masses. I am directing you as your leader to queue behind me. Speaking briefly in Hausa language, he said, all Hausa community should also queue behind our other governors here. This is where we are going and should go. Thank you”.

    Ibikunke Amosun said, Dr. Fayemi had worked for the people of Ekiti State and that all the things his predecessors in office said were not possible had been done for the people of Ekiti to see and feel. He said unlike before, Ekiti State now have good roads, social security for the elderly citizens and many other life-enhancing programmes.

    “Ekiti people should not allow deceivers to plunge them back to the dark days. Everyone agrees that Fayemi has performed. The other parties don’t have anything. All they want to do is to rig. We should all be ready to say one man, one vote,” Amosun said.

    Speaking in Yoruba anecdotes laced with admirable rhetorical questions, Ajimobi maintained that Ekiti is a land of intellectuals, who should not be allowed to be governed by those who lack that quality.

    Also speaking, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Chief Jide Awe, assured the electorate of the readiness of the party to ensure a peaceful election, saying APC does not need any external forces to win the June 21 election as it has Ekiti people on its side.

    Said he: “Despite the threats and portents of coercion against the re-election of Dr. Fayemi, the people of Ekiti have already made up their minds to re-elect him (Fayemi). June 21 will bring to them (the opposition parties), the evidence of their losses.

    What campaign issues will Fayemi promote for his re-election

    According to the Director-General of his Campaign Organisation, Hon. Bimbo Daramola, the issues which Fayemi will bring up would centre round the familiar 8-Point Agenda which has been responsible for his (Fayemi’s) achievements so far.

    Daramola noted that there was no way any campaign would happen and the accomplishments of the state government around good governance, health, agriculture, education and human capital development, tourism and others would not be mentioned.

    Said he: “When we say issues will form the fulcrum of our campaigns, we mean accomplishments of Fayemi regarding road construction and rehabilitation, the Social Security Scheme, the massive employment and empowerment of several sections of the populace, the renovation of the Ikogosi Warm Springs and the wholesale renovation of entire 20 state general hospitals and 183 secondary schools in Ekiti.

    “Fayemi has an opportunity to continue all these great works and we are seeking the approval of the populace for that opportunity. That approval will surely come on June 21,” Daramola said.