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Tag: Fayemi

  • Fayemi refunds traders’ money for uncompleted market

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has fulfilled his promise to refund money paid by traders to secure shops in the uncompleted Erekesan Market in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    The market could not be completed by former Governor Ayo Fayose before his tenure ended on October 15.

    The former governor urged market men and women interested in getting shops in the market to pay about N1 million and above to a commercial bank for life ownership.

    But some Ado-Ekiti indigenes protested against the sale of the market, which is known as Oja Oba (King’s Market) and regarded as a legacy that should not be sold off.

    Fayemi, who visited the uncompleted market, described it as “defective and needing more work,” hence the need to refund the money collected from traders.

    The Ministry of Commerce and Industry yesterday started the process of the refund, in line with the governor’s directive.

    The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Kayode Abe, who confirmed the refund, hailed the governor for his intervention.

    Abe said: “The governor gave the prompt directive on the refund, consequent upon the structural defect discovered at the market, which government intends to put in order before re-allocating the market stalls.

    “Government is ready to give the people of the state a state-of-the-art structure that will stand a test of time.”

    One of the traders, Mrs Cecilia Adebayo, expressed delight about “government’s timely intervention on the refund” and appealed for speedy completion of the project.

     

  • Fayemi gets reports of panels

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has received the reports of the visitation panels for the state-owned tertiary institutions and the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES).

    He assured the people that his administration would improve service delivery in all government agencies.

    Fayemi, who received the reports form the chairmen of the various panels, stated that the panels were constituted because the current state of the institutions “should be a matter of serious concern to all well-meaning stakeholders”.

    The panels include: Visitation panels to the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti; College of Education, Ikere–Ekiti and College of Health Science and Technology, Ijero-Ekiti as well as the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH).

    The State Broadcasting Service also had a fact-finding committee.

    Fayemi stressed that the panels were not set up to witch-hunt anybody but to reposition the affected institutions and agency for better performance.

    He said: “These various visitation panels were set up for stocktaking. For us to move forward steadily as a government, it is imperative that we know where we were, where we are and where we are going.

    “The laws that established each of these institutions and the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State also allow me to constitute visitation panels for the purpose of guiding government on ways to reposition them. This is the best standard practice in a civilised clime, of which Ekiti State should continually emulate.”

    Stating that the vibrancy of the state-owned tertiary institutions and the BSES was essential to drive the knowledge economy agenda of his administration, the governor stressed the need to continuously focus on “maximising the potential of government institutions and agencies in the delivery of our developmental agenda”.

    Fayemi assured that his government would study the reports, make the outcome public and act on them.

    On behalf of members of the visitation panels, the chairman of the panel for EKSU Prof. Bode Asubiojo said the recommendations in the reports are implementable and will help the affected institutions to run according to global standards expected of them.

    Asubiojo, who noted that a visitation panel was last set up for EKSU in 2007 when it should have been set up every five years, said the panel interacted with past vice chancellors of the institutions and stakeholders to get the facts together.

  • Fayose squandered N18b Paris Refund to Ekiti, says Fayemi

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has accused immediate past Governor Ayodele Fayose of squandering the N18 billion Paris Club refund the state got from the Federal Government.

    Fayemi expressed dissatisfaction with how the former governor, who owed between four months’ salary and eight months’ pension arrears, could not pay the backlog of workers’ benefits with such a huge amount of money but diverted it for other uses.

    The governor said he had not reneged on his avowed commitment to offset the outstanding salary and pension before marking his first year in office.

    Fayemi spoke on Sunday evening in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, on this month’s edition of live simulcast, tagged: Meet Your Governor.

    Addressing the rumour that he had collected N11.5 billion Paris Club refund barely two months after assuming office, Fayemi said: “Let those making the allegation come with verifiable proofs to substantiate their claim.

    “I have not collected any money in lieu of road intervention or Paris Club refund. Governor Fayose had the opportunity of paying the bulk of the backlog of salaries and pensions.

    “He collected N18 billion out of the N21.5 billion due to Ekiti in the fund. So, what is left for Ekiti is just N3.5 billion, which can’t pay a month’s salary, if we add the overhead costs of subvented institutions.

    “As we speak, we are doing a lot of cleansing and that has reduced the monthly pay to workers to N2.1 billion. Those who were not properly employed have been left out until they provide evidence. The medical workers who were employed on consequential ground have been reabsorbed.

    “I decided to delay appointment of politicians into government for me to be able to pay our workers. With this, Ekiti can now know who is

    the real and honest friend of the masses.

    “I don’t want to do media trial for anyone; so, I have hired the services of a renowned audit firm to look into our finances and the forensic state’s accounts will be published during our 100 days in office in January, 2019.”

    Reacting to Fayemi’s claim, the media aide to the former governor, Lere Olayinka, urged the governor to use the over N30 billion his government allegedly got from the Federal Government on road repairs, arrears of Budget Support and Paris Club refund to pay the workers.

    Olayinka said: “It was on the basis of the N2.1 billion arrears of Budget Support and N14.1 billion Paris Club refund already approved for payment in June that Fayose promised to clear the salary arrears.

    “But due to his bitter politics, Fayemi blocked the payment and more than one month after receiving the payment, he is still following his usual path of deceit instead of paying the workers.”

    He challenged Fayemi to publicise the records of disbursement of the Paris Club Refund the state got from the Federal Government.

    According to him, there were conditions laid down by the Federal Government before the fund was released and states were made to make reports of utilisation of first tranche of the refund before the second tranche was released.

    Olayinka added: “Besides, the fund was meant for both the state and local governments and it is on record that Ekiti fell into the hardship of inability to pay salaries regularly as a result of the debt incurred during Fayemi’s first tenure and the loans restructuring done at the instance of the Federal Government and the Federal Economic Council (FEC).

    “If Fayemi had not plunged Ekiti into unnecessary debt, over N1 billion would not have been deducted monthly from the state’s Federal allocation.”

  • Fayemi: Ekiti College of Tech Agric to take off in 2019

    Ekiti State Governor Dr Kayode Fayemi has said the state’s College of Technical and Commercial Agriculture at Isan Ekiti will begin academic activities next year.

    Speaking at the weekend at the 26th Isan Ekiti Unity Day celebration, the governor reiterated his commitment to the development of agriculture, which is one of the four developmental agenda of his administration.

    The college, which was established in 2014 with focus on mid-level manpower development in the Agricultural sector, was neglected by the immediate past administration.

    Fayemi, who was named the Asiwaju Oluomo of Isan Kingdom and presented an award of excellence for his contribution to the infrastructure development of the town, said the Agricultural sector, when fully developed, would provide jobs for unemployed youths in addition to providing food surplus.

    The governor restated the readiness of his administration to fight unemployment, saying Ekiti “youths are hardworking and can excel in any field, if given the right opportunity”.

    Noting that he had not made up his mind to vie for last July 14 governorship election at the time last year’s Isan Day celebration was held, Fayemi urged Ekiti residents to replicate the support given to him to win the presidential election in the 2019 general elections.

  • ‘Fayemi not appointing ‘foreigners’ into cabinet’

    The Wife of the Governor of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, has denied the allegation that her husband, Dr. Kayode Fayemi was appointing expatriate into his government.

    Mrs Fayemi stated that those that had been appointed in the last two months of her husband’s administration were more of homegrown politicians, contrary to the insinuation that expatriates have taken over the government.

    The governor’s wife also said the best way Ekiti people can overcome the onerous impediment of poverty is to reignite the culture of being ‘our brother’s keepers’, where the wealthy would learn how to render helps to the poor and vulnerable in the society.

    Mrs Fayemi spoke in Ado Ekiti on Friday while delivering a lecture theme: ‘Reclaiming our Lands, Restoring our Values: Beyond Slogan’ , to mark the 2018 Press Week of the Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ), Ekiti state chapter.

    While delivering her lecture, Mrs Fayemi said: “The rumour mongers have started again the way they did in our first term where a governor that did well to empower the people, make life abundant for the people of Ekiti and worked hard to uplift our values were said to have lost election as a result of disconnect from the people, which was a lie.

    “In any political contest, one will lose and the other will win. Was it the Secretary to the State government or the Chief of Staff or some of them that are present with me in this gathering that are expatriates? Who among the appointees?

    Read Also: My husband will restore values of Ekiti people – Mrs Fayemi

    “They have started this time and we are not going to tolerate them to defame our government with their rumour. This time we are ready for these rumour peddlers”, she said.

    The first lady added that the well-articulated policy thrust of Dr Fayemi was predicated on Social Investments, Infrastructure Development, Knowledge Economy, Agriculture and Rural Development, saying all these would be prosecuted to latter to add values to Ekiti and make life abundant and accelerate the living condition of the downtrodden masses.

    “This was the policy thrust through which Fayemi campaigned to Ekiti people and which resonated deeply with the good people of Ekiti State. The campaign theme did not need to be explained because it is crystal clear. There was a broad based consensus across the State and beyond that something had gone seriously wrong, and that wrong had to be corrected before it was too late”

    “It is obvious that all sectors of our national life are reeling from a crisis of values. The definitive elements of the national moral condition include a raging culture of instant gratification that feeds short termism, profiteering, and fraud.

    “In the aftermath of the June 2014 elections, a number of narratives emerged about the reasons why Dr. Fayemi lost, most of them tainted with half-truths, outright lies, and distortions. In every political contest, someone will win and some people will lose, and it is okay to try to identify reasons for political failure or glory.”

    “In his words during his inauguration speech, Fayemi affirmed that he would fight to restore our glories in education when Ekiti was the real Fountain of Knowledge, rekindle our family values when one will be poor but won’t sleep hungry or beg for food, bring back virtues of industry, honesty, sincerity and many others”, she stated.

  • My husband will restore values of Ekiti people – Mrs Fayemi

    The wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Chief Bisi Fayemi, says her husband’s administration will restore long held values of the Ekiti people, in addition to fighting poverty and moral decadence.

    The governor’s wife gave the assurance in Ado-Ekiti on Friday while delivering a lecture entitled: ‘Reclaiming our Land, Restoring our Values: Beyond Slogan’.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the lecture was organised as part of activities marking the 2018 Press Week of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ekitit State Council.

    Fayemi expressed optimism that the present administration in the state would introduce policies and programmes that would combat poverty and all forms of social ills.

    According to her, many of such challenges crept into Ekiti through the actions of compromising politicians.

    Read Also: Accountants to FG: Pay attention to education

    In his remarks, NUJ Chairman in the state, Mr Rotimi Ojomoyela, lauded the governor’s wife for the lecture.

    He said it would go a long way in repositioning the lives of youths in the state.

    The chairman assured that the members of the pen profession in the state would work assiduously to ensure that the present administration realises its set objectives.

    NAN reports that the forum afforded Journalists in the state the opportunity to interact on mind boggling issues, especially on coming up with ways to restore the core values of the state beyond slogan.

  • Fayemi honours OAU’s best graduating student

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi yesterday hailed Dr Aarinola Olaiya, Obafemi Awolowo University’s (OAU’s) Overall Best Graduating Student, for demonstrating the core values of hard work and excellence for which Ekiti people are known.

    The 24-year-old Usin-Ekiti-born graduate of Medicine had distinctions in 11 courses, breaking 28 years’ old record of the institution.

    Fayemi, who attended the 43rd convocation ceremony of the university in Ile-Ife, Osun State, to honour Aarinola, said she had shown that Ekiti is not a state of stomach infrastructure but the country’s intellectual capital.

    The governor said Aarinola would be given all the support she desires in her quest for greater heights.

    He said: “I want to pledge before this august audience and the council, though she hasn’t told me what she wants to do, but whatever she tells me, she can consider it done.

    “If she wants to go into housemanship, residency or even a PhD in Medicine, we will support her. It is very important to us that we restore the values for which we are known in Ekiti.

    “We are not a state of stomach infrastructure. We are the centre of excellence in this country. When it comes to intellectual capital, we really should restore our very first place; that’s what the government in Ekiti is about. It is about promoting the knowledge economy and celebrating the very best of us who have a lot to teach the rest of us.

    “This is because I know Medicine is not a tea party. For her to have impressed all of her lecturers and broken all of the records here, which excellent people have set here, I hope the college will retain Aarinola. Having produced her, it is only fair to let Ife have her.”

     

  • Oni’s case crumbles as court okays Fayemi

    •Court: Ekiti governor validly nominated

    The Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, yesterday dismissed the suit filed by former Governor Segun Oni challenging the eligibility of Governor Kayode Fayemi to contest the July 14 governorship election.

    Delivering judgment, Justice Uche Agomoh held that Oni’s originating summons challenging Fayemi’s eligibility to stand as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate is “completely lacking in merit”.

    Defendants in the suit are: Fayemi (first), APC (second) and Independent National Electoral Commission (third).

    The suit started at the Federal High Court, Abuja, but was later referred to the Ado-Ekiti Division of the court.

    The court held that Fayemi was eligible to contest, though he was a sitting Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, because he was not in the category of public officers envisaged by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and the APC Election Guidelines to resign from office before contesting.

    The court further ruled that Fayemi was qualified to run, having been validly nominated as the flag bearer by his party, the APC, for the primary conducted on May 12.

    Fayemi won the primary with 941 votes to defeat Oni, who garnered 481 votes and 32 other candidates.

    Filing the suit on June 21, Oni averred that Fayemi was not qualified to contest for the governorship poll, claiming that he did not resign as Minister of Mines and Steel Development 30 days before the APC primary.

    He also said Fayemi was not eligible by virtue of his indictment by the Justice Silas Oyewole-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry empanelled by former Governor Ayodele Fayose.

    Justice Agomoh held that Section 318 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, which defines who is a public officer, was not applicable to Fayemi as a serving minister.

    The judge held that the provision did not refer to the Office of the Minister of the Federal Republic, adding that Oni also failed to provide the court with evidence that Fayemi did not resign from office, as he claimed in his (Oni’s) originating summons.

    She held that Fayemi was not in the category of officers of the party (APC) who must resign before contesting for an elective public officer, as Oni claimed.

    The judge refused to grant Oni’s prayer that Fayemi be declared ineligible to run for governor on the basis of his purported indictment by a Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Fayose administration.

    The judge held that her court did not have the legal right to sit on an appeal of a matter that had been determined by a court of coordinate jurisdiction, as the case had been dismissed by a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.

    Justice Agomoh said: “There must be evidence that he was served and called upon to defend himself. Looking at all evidences before me filed by parties therein, I am not satisfied that this condition was met in this case.”

     

  • Eligibility suit: Fayemi floors Oni

     

    The Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti on Monday dismissed the suit filed by former Ekiti State Governor Segun Oni challenging the eligibility of incumbent Kayode Fayemi, to contest the July 14 governorship election.

    Delivering the judgment of the court, Justice Uche Agomoh held that Oni’s Originating Summons challenging Fayemi’s eligibility to stand as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate is “completely lacking merit.”

    Defendants in the case are Fayemi (1st), APC (2nd) and Independent National Electoral Commission (3rd).

    The suit commenced at the Federal High Court, Abuja but was later referred to the Ado-Ekiti Division of the Court.

    The court held Fayemi was eligible to contest as a sitting

    Minister because he was not in the category of public officers envisaged by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and the APC Election Guidelines to resign from office before contesting.

    It further ruled that Fayemi was qualified to run having been validly nominated as the flag bearer by his party, the APC from the primary conducted on 12th May, 2018.

    Fayemi won the primary polling 941 votes to defeat Oni who garnered 481 votes and 32 other candidates.

    In filing the suit on June 21, 2018, Oni averred that Fayemi was not qualified to contest claiming that he did not resign from office as Minister of Mines and Steel Development 30 days before the APC primary election.

    Oni also said Fayemi was not eligible by virtue of his indictment by the Justice Silas Oyewole-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry empanelled by former Governor Ayo Fayose.

    But Justice Agomoh held that Section 318 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 which defines who is a public officer, was not applicable to Fayemi as a serving Minister.

    The judge held that the provision did not refer to the Office of the

    Minister of the Federal Republic adding that Oni also failed provide the court with evidence that Fayemi did not resign from office as he claimed in his (Oni’s) Originating Summons.

    She further held that Fayemi is not in the category of officers of the party (APC) that must resign before contesting for an elective public officer as claimed by Oni.

    Justice Agomoh refused to grant Oni’s prayer that Fayemi be declared as ineligible to run for governor on the basis of his purported indictment by the Justice Silas Oyewole-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Ayo Fayose administration.

    The judge held that her court does not have the legal right to sit on appeal of a case that had been determined by a court of coordinate jurisdiction as the case had been dismissed by a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.

    “There must be evidence that he was served and called upon to defend himself.

    “Looking at all evidences before me filed by parties therein, I am not satisfied that this condition was met in this case.

    “I am therefore of the view that there is no condition recognizable by law on the basis of which the first defendant can be disqualified from contesting the primary of the second defendant held on the 5th and 12th of May, 2018 and I so hold.”

    Ruling on whether Fayemi was a party office holder as alleged by Oni who must resign at least 30 days before running for governor, the court ruled that evidence before it proved contrary.

    The Court disagreed with Oni that Fayemi was a member of fourteen organs of the party including National Convention, Board of Trustees, National Caucus and Zonal Committee.

  • Breaking: Court dismisses Oni’s suit on Fayemi’s eligibility

    The Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has dismissed the suit filed by former Governor Segun Oni challenging the eligibility of Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi to run as candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a sitting Minister

    Justice Uche Agomoh in her judgment held the case is “completely lacking merit.”

    The court held that Fayemi was validly nominated by APC and was not a public officer envisaged by the Electoral Act, 1999 Constitution and Party Guidelines to resign before contesting.

    Details later