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Tag: Ekiti

  • Fayemi must account for N2.75b, 17 buses – Ekiti probe panel

    Fayemi must account for N2.75b, 17 buses – Ekiti probe panel

    The Kayode Fayemi administration in Ekiti state awarded a N600m contract to a company with no fixed address, the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by Ekiti State Government said.

    The commission headed by Justice Silas Oyewole to look into the financial transactions of the state during Fayemi’s tenure, late on Wednesday submitted its report to Governor Ayo Fayose. Fayemi, now the Minister of Solid Minerals was the governor between October 2010 and October 2014.

    In a reaction on Wednesday night, Fayemi rejected the report and said he would take his case to the Appeal Court.

    In some of its other findings, the commission said that the former governor must account for the whereabouts of N2.75 billion allocated for the execution of the construction of Ultra-Modern market in Ado Ekiti. The money was part of the N25 billion bond raised by the government .

    The commission said the contract was never executed. The commission of Inquiry said KITWOOD Nigeria Limited, the contractor who handled the furnishing of the government house built by the Fayemi administration at a cost of N600million should be made to refund N324.8 million. It said the contract should not have been more than N280 million.

    The Commission said it found out that KITWOOD had no traceable address and that “the address on the Letter of Award is a virgin land opposite the new Central Bank on the New Iyin Road, Ado Ekiti.

    Both Fayemi and the commissioner for Finance snubbed the commission and made a futile effort in the court to shut it down. Fayemi in a reaction said he would appeal the judgment.

    On the purchase of vehicles, it said “claim by Coscharis Motors that it supplied 235 and/or 250 vehicles was fraudulent and fraught with so many contradictions”.

    It faulted Coscharis Motors claim it supplied seven vehicles at the Ibadan Liaison office of Ekiti State, when the state does not have such an office. The vehicles, it said, were received by unidentified persons.

    It also claimed that Coscharis Motors only supplied 219 vehicles to the Ekiti State Government and that 17 Joylong Buses supplied as gift were later carted away.

    On the controversial N852.9 State Universal Education Board (SUBEB) fund, the commission said it was clear that the Government of Dr Fayemi hoodwinked the federal government into paying its own matching grant by obtaining N852, 936,783.12 loan from Access Bank on November 25, 2013 without perfecting documentation in respect of the loan, thereby flouting the provisions of Section 11(2) of the UBEC Act, 2004.

    Governor Fayose said asking people to account for their stewardship should not be termed witch hunting, as leaders must be accountable and that Ekiti people have the inalienable rights to know how their commonwealth was being used.

    “I appreciate the panel members for a thorough job done. The time and energy they put into the job. The panel waited for the outcome of the court case instituted by former Governor Kayode Fayemi before it concluded its job because we are ardent believers in the rule of law and if the court had ruled that we should stop, we would have stopped.

    “There is no witch hunting in a situation whereby people are asked to account for their stewardship. I am glad that the Federal Government is also pursuing the policy of accountability and we are following suit here too,” he said.

    After receiving the report, Fayose inaugurated a four-man administrative panel to study it and come out with a White Paper.

    The administrative panel is headed by the Commissioner for Justice, Mr Kolapo Kolade.

    Earlier, Justice Oyewole said though the panel was given three months to do its work when inaugurated in May this year, it had to bid its time to see the end of the litigation by Fayemi.

  • No anointed candidate in Ekiti APC, says Ojudu

    No anointed candidate in Ekiti APC, says Ojudu

    Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Senator Babafemi Ojudu spoke with Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU on the political situation in the country, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s struggle to displace the PDP from Ekiti State Government House.

    How united is the All Progressives Congress (APC) as it warms up for 2019 elections?

    We are determined. If you look at what happened in Kano few weeks ago when the president visited the state, you will know that we are ready for 2019. The president is as popular as ever.

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has left your party and he said some chieftains will soon defect…

    Atiku has left. No other person has followed. We don’t envisage other persons joining him in the PDP. Atiku has the right to take whatever decision he thinks is right as a person.

    So, the defection will not affect your party in any way?

    We would have loved to have him. In a democracy, the more, the merrier. Many other people will also join us. Many people are leaving the PDP for the APC and many more will come to the APC after its convention.

    The PDP has alleged that you are fueling the crisis of zoning and micro-zoning in the party…

    What is happening in their party is their internal affairs. We are not interested in what is going on there. It is a very analysis on their part to be accusing us of being behind whatever happens in their party. We are not interested. Our focus is on making sure that we fulfill all the promises we made to Nigerians before the term ends. We are busier in the APC than to be thinking about them.

    Is your party not moving at a snail-speed in the course of fulfilling its promises to Nigerians?

    We took our time to plan. We took our time to lay a good foundation. And we are executing now. We are making a difference. We came in and we were confronted with recession. We were to bring that recession to an end. There is nothing like snail speed. We think that this time around, we should put some things on ground and what we put on ground should last. That is our concern.

    What is the political situation in your state, Ekiti?

    The place is agog. Many people are coming out to vie for governor next year. They are realising that Fayose is not good for their health. Some of us are also working to unite members of our party, to see that we can only be victorious when we are united.

    If 50 people are struggling for one job, will that not spell doom or disaster for the party?

    No. I think what is happening is a certain kind of strategy for some. Some want to be councillors, House of Assembly members. Some want to be commissioners. Some want to become House of Representatives member. Someone wants to become the Secretary to Government. They need to be noticed. They need to be seen to be contesting for the bigger office. That will then give them opportunity to negotiate when the time comes. Seriously, the serious aspirants are not more than four.

    Who are the four?

    I wouldn’t want to mention names. But, I know I am one of the four.

    It is being speculated that the national leadership of your party and indeed, President Muhammadu Buhari, have an anointed candidate in Ekiti APC…

    Anybody who knows President Muhammadu Buhari will tell you that he is a very fair person. He is not a kind of person who will want to impose somebody. That tells you that it is a big lie from the pit of hell. Even, in matters involving the APC and the PDP, President Buhari has not been partial. He has said that anyone contesting should go out there and canvass, make his viewpoints known; go there and sell yourself and your programmes. The electorate will then decide. Buhari can only support the candidate after he has won the ticket of the party at the primary. If anybody tells you that Buhari is sponsoring him, or he has endorsed him or the national headquarter of the party has endorsed him is lying. I do not believe that. I am in a position to know. I am not a baby in the party. I am in a position to know. The president has not discussed this with anybody. He has not endorsed anybody.

    The president is a political animal. Why would you say he will not be interested in an aspirant?

    I am telling you this. All of us are members of this party. We are like his own persons. What he wants us to do is: go out there and sell yourself. And let the party members choose the person that is better, or the best as the flag bearer of the party. After that, the president can say, as a party man, as a leader of the party, he will support the candidate that will emerge. Anything other than that is not true.

    What has led to that speculation in the first instance?

    It is the people who are weak on the ground, people who are not self-confident who are peddling rumours. I do not know why any member of my generation will say that he needs crutches, that he cannot go out there on his own to say that he is capable; and say, I understand the problem of Ekiti people. And then, he markets himself. Now, you are saying you need to be imposed; you need somebody to come and hold you and lead you to the people. It is uncalled for. It is unnecessary. Go there and contest. Anybody that is above 30 years is qualified. So, you want to go and govern a state and you are now lying to the people that the president has endorsed you; that it is the president that is sponsoring you. I think that is unfair to the President of Nigeria.

    As we prepare for 2019, is Ekiti that very critical to the APC?

    It is very critical because the progressive viewpoints dominate in the Southwest. There was an aberration, which is the PDP controlling a state. The state has to be taken back to the progressives. We are working very hard to take the state back.

    The primary will hold around April next year. What are your expectations?

    My expectation is that we must conduct ourselves very well. There would ba a level playing ground. We will eshew violence. We will go out vigorously to market our people and let our party members decide who will be the winner. At my age, my engagement, my experience in this country, nobody is sponsoring me. I am sponsoring myself. I am working within a collective of Ekiti people who feel that things are going wrong in Ekiti State and they need to be corrected. I am first among equals. We are going out there to fight. We are going to fight in a decent way.

    What are the lessons of the 2014 poll, which your party should learn and the pitfalls that should be averted in next year’s election in Ekiti?

    We have conducted a study. We have set up a committee to study why what happened then happened. We are studying the document. We are studying how we can apply ourselves to the act of wining Ekiti. We are communicating with the people, engaging them. We will not look down on them. We will study and find solutions to their problems. Ekiti knows who can stand up to Fayose and drive him out of the place, who can say no, Fayose will not have his way again. We don’t want a surrogate Fayose next year. We want somebody who will plan well, execute well and restore the glory of Ekiti State.

    Why is your party not participating in the local government elections?

    If you look at the local government elections across the country, it is like chasing after a mirage. The figures are written in governors’ offices. In particular, Fayose is intolerant of the opposition. He is the one appointing candidates for the elections. The electoral officers are his leg men and women. So, why waste your time? We are preparing for next year’s election, which will be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission. We are more confident about that, unlike what is conducted by the state electoral commission. For me, although I don’t know what the party will do tomorrow, I think it will be foolish to participate in the local government polls.

    If the PDP governorship candidate is coming from Ikere and his running mate is coming from Ado-Ekiti as it is being proposed by Governor Ayodele Fayose, will that affect the calculations and permutations of the APC?

    The only thing that will do for the APC is that, if the PDP is picking its candidate from Ikere, the APC should pick its candidate from Ado-Ekiti. As you know, Ado-Ekiti, of all the local governments, has the largest electoral vote. It is almost three or more times bigger than that of Ikere. It will be foolhardy for our party to leave Ado-Ekiti and go and pick its candidates from other places. Ado and Ikere hasve the largest electoral votes. So, if Fyose picks the PDP candidate from Ikere and his deputy from Ado, and the APC picks its candidate from somewhere, it means you are leaving it for the PDP. But, if Fayose picks his candidate from Ikere and his deputy from Ado, and the APC picks its candidate from Ado, you know you are on the path to winning.  It is a logical calculation. In Ekiti State, Ado determines who wins and becomes the governor of the state.

    What is your chance at the primary?

    It is very bright. We are working very hard. We are not there yet. But, we are going to be there. We have our strategies. We have set up structures. There is no structure now on ground than our own. We are everywhere that we have to be. Nobody comes to us because he wants to chop. All those working with us are committed. We have fanatical supporters because of our agenda. We have a strong agenda. I am the only one who had defeated Fayose in the whole of Ekiti. I led the push for his removal when he was maltreating our people. I am the only one who can stand up to him to say, what you are doing, we are not going to tolerate it. I am the only one who can vchase him out of that state. We are mobilizing efforts in Ekiti, Nigeria and outside Nigeria that will sent him packing in July next year.

    Individual aspirants are nurturing their structures. Why are they not collectively building the party?

    I can talk about myself. I have been moving around preaching unity; to pacify people. I have been visiting our leaders. A couple of weeks ago, I went to see the Elders’ Forum. I had a passionate discussion with them on the need to bring everybody together. We need to come together to end Fayose’s  bad governance. My group does not attack anybody. We are canvassing our position. We are offering our agenda to the people. We are everywhere trying to enlighten people.

    Generally, what is your message to Ekiti as the state warms up for the election?

    There are few aspirants trying to offend one another. That should stop. One person will represent us in the election coming up next year. And all of us have to queue behind that person. If we make enemies of ourselves now, it will affect our push to get the PDP out. So, I am calling for unity, purposefulness of action, patriotism on the part of members of the APC so that our votes, our energies and strength will not be divided. In unity, we can win that election. If we are united, taking Fayose out will not be difficult for us. So, we must stand up in unity.

  • NDE begins agric training in Ekiti

    The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Ekiti State has begun a programme, tagged: Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme (SADTS), for young graduates and unemployed residents.

    At the kick-off of the scheme in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, NDE State Coordinator Manoah Babatope Akinyemi said the initiative was in consonance with Federal Government’s policy on agriculture to create jobs and wealth among Nigerians.

    Akinyemi said the NDE was also training 100 people under its Basic National Open Apprenticeship Scheme to reduce unemployment and empower the people at the grassroots.

    The NDE coordinator said the training curriculum was structured to include major areas of modern agricultural production, marketing, entrepreneurial training and business plan preparation for not less than four months.

    He urged the beneficiaries to contact the state’s Ministry of Agriculture to cultivate the land for farming and the pens for poultry at moderate fees.

    Also, an official of the Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) Mr. Omotayo Adekanmbi said the institution would assist farmers to reduce risks and enhance food security.

    He urged participants to insure their farms and poultries.

     

  • I’ll work more for Ekiti, says Fasuan

    •Ex-RMAFC chief gets Asiwaju title

    Elder statesman and Chairman of the Committee for the Creation of Ekiti State Chief Deji Fasuan has pledged to do more for the development of the state.

    Fasuan spoke at the weekend after he was conferred with the title of Asiwaju of Afao-Ekiti by the Alafao, Oba Joseph Ademilua.

    The former federal commissioner on the board of Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) said the title was a motivation for him to continue to serve Afao community and other parts of Ekiti State.

    He was the arrowhead of a committee, comprising monarchs, senior civil servants, politicians, businessmen, who worked for the creation of Ekiti State by the Gen. Sani Abacha government on October 1, 1996.

    Oba Ademilua said Fasuan was given the title because of his passion for the growth and development of Afao.

    Dignitaries at the event include the Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju; the Olosi of Osi-Ekiti, Oba Oladiran Agunbiade; the Alare of Are-Ekiti, Oba Boluwade Adebiyi; the Owatapa of Itapa-Ekiti, Oba Makanjuola Ajaja; the Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti, Oba Ademola Ajakaye; former Minister of National Planning Chief Ayo Ogunlade and mother of Ekiti State governor Evangelist Olufunke Oluwayose.

    Fasuan later hosted senior citizens from the 16 councils to their annual feast, called the Buffet in the Jungle, where they relived old memories and deliberated on development of Ekiti State.

    The retired technocrat urged his fellow senior citizens to always serve as agents of change in the society.

    “The roles of senior citizens in the community were fundamental.”

    Fasuan urged them to make their impact felt.

     

  • Ooni inaugurates hall of fame, anthem in Ekiti

    Ooni inaugurates hall of fame, anthem in Ekiti

    The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has urged the people of Ikere in Ekiti State to support their monarch, the Ogoga of Ikere, Oba Adejimi Adu Alagbado, in the interest of the overall development of the town. Oba Ogunwusi who made the call on Saturday at Ogoga’s palace during the official inauguration of Ikere Hall of Fame and the launch of Ikere anthem, also advised indigenes to allow peace to reign in the town.

    The Ikere Hall of Fame project was bankrolled by a friend of the Ogoga and businessman, Chief Dimeji Isiaka. The Arole Oodua who expressed satisfaction with development witnessed in the community since Oba Alagbado mounted the throne in 2015, said his ascension to the Ogoga stool was divine and never a mistake. According to him, Oba Alagbado has made history by building a new palace and mobilizing philanthropists to give the town an administrative building as well as a Hall of Fame, within two years of his ascension to the throne.

    Oba Ogunwusi said: “When you have a good leader, there will be peace, there will be progress, there will be development and God has given you a new King in Ikere who is humble, progressive and handsome. God has blessed Ikere with illustrious sons and daughters; and God has blessed Ogoga with brain and his choice as King was not a mistake. You have not seen anything yet in terms of development.

    Other traditional rulers who witnessed the event include the Chairman of Ekiti State Council of Obas, Oloye of Oye, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju; the Attah of Ayede, Oba Adebayo Orisagbemi; the Alara of Aramoko, Oba Adegoke Adeyemi and the Obalufon Alayemore of Efon, Oba Emmanuel Aladejare. The event featured homages to the monarchs and cultural dances.

  • Fayose approves N200m car loan for workers

    Fayose approves N200m car loan for workers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Read also: Fayose presents N98b budget

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

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

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

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

    NAN

  • College staff docked over theft of N1.17m, scratch cards

    College staff docked over theft of N1.17m, scratch cards

    Six staff of the College of Health Technology in Ijero-Ekiti were on Tuesday arraigned in an Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court over the theft of N1.17 million as well as N500,000 scratch cards belonging to the institution.

    The defendants, Ibrahim Ganiyu, 40; Joshua Daniel, 38; Afolabi Sunday, 45; Ikuobe Sunday, 46; Alonge Banji, 35; and Yusuf Ozigi, 32, whose addresses were unknown, are facing a two- count charge of burglary and stealing.

    The prosecutor, Insp Johnson Okunade, told the court that the defendants and other accomplices now at large committed the offence on Nov. 22 at the college.

    He told the court that the defendants and others at large had burgled the bursary department ‎with intent to commit the offence.

    The offences, he said, contravene Sections 411 and 390 (9) of the Criminal code, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

    The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    The prosecutor asked for an adjournment to enable him study the case file and assemble his witnesses.

    The counsel to the first defendant, Mr Lai Obisesan, and counsel to the 2 to 6 defendants, Mr Sunday Ochai, urged the court to grant their clients bail.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mr Adesoji Adegboye, granted bail to each of the defendants in the sum of N200,000 with one surety in like sum who must have a verifiable address.

    Adegboye adjourned the case till Jan. 12 for hearing.

  • Ekiti demolishes houses used as criminals’ hideouts

    Ekiti demolishes houses used as criminals’ hideouts

    The Ekiti State government yesterday kick-started the demolition of structures said to endanger its urban renewal agenda in Ado-Ekit, the state capital.

    Commissioner for Works and Transportation, Mrs. Funmilayo Ogun, who addressed reporters at the end of the first day of the demolition, said abandoned homes used as hiding places for suspected criminals would be demolished.

    The commissioner said other structures would give way for the construction of modern car parks to reduce traffic congestion in the capital city.

    She said government felt it was not enough to arrest drivers for wrong packing on the roads and make them pay fines without providing alternative parking spaces for them.

    Mrs Ogun said the government had completed the repair of a 67-year-old, 30-metre-long Ikun Bridge on Oye-Otun Road as well as the dualisation and street lighting of eight out of the 16 local government headquarters of the state.

    The commissioner said the bridge would replace the old, narrow gauge colonial bridge the late Premier of defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo administration built in the 1950s.

    She said the bridge was one of the projects the present administration started to take the state to greater heights as well as make life more meaningful for the residents.

    Mrs. Ogun said other landmark projects being done across the state include a new Governor’s Office building complex, the one-kilometre overhead bridge and the new High Court complex, all in Ado-Ekiti, as well as dualisation of Ikere Road.

    Others are: the new ultra-modern Oja Oba Market in Ado-Ekiti, dualisation of towns hosting the 16 local government headquarters, among several other “legacy projects”.

     

  • Modupe for burial in Ekiti

    The remains of the late  Mrs Comfort Modupe Adetunmbi will be laid to rest in  Ifaki-Ekiti, Ekiti State, on Saturday, November 25, 2017. The funeral ceremonies will begin with the Service of Songs on Thursday November 23, 2017 in Ifaki-Ekiti at Adetunmbi Family House, Ido-Ekiti Road, Ifaki-Ekiti. On Friday November 24, 2017, the remains of Mama will arrive in the morning for lying-in-state at 10 a.m. in Adetunmbi Family House, Ido-Ekiti Road, Ifaki-Ekiti. Christian Wake-keep starts from 5 p.m. at the same venue. On Saturday November 25 , the funeral service holds at St Michael’s Anglican Church, Ifaki-Ekiti at 11 p.m., while internment is at Anglican  Church Cemetery. Reception for guests will hold at Ifaki Campus of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti road, Ifaki-Ekiti, while the family thanksgiving will be done on Sunday November 26  at  St Michael’s Anglican Church, Ifaki-Ekiti at 10 a.m.

    She is survived by Mrs Yetunde Makinde; Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi; Engineer Adedayo Adetunmbi; Mrs Adenike Adetunmbi; Okan Seye Adetunmbi and Mrs Bimbo Afolabi.

     

     

  • PHOTO: Ekiti students rally in support of Anti-Cultism law signed by Fayose

    PHOTO: Ekiti students rally in support of Anti-Cultism law signed by Fayose

    Students marching round the streets of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, on Tuesday, in support of the new Anti-Cultism Law signed by the Gov. Ayo Fayose.