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Tag: Fayemi

  • We didn’t bring mopol to Ekiti to kill Fayemi, says campaign group

    The Prince Tayo Adebiyi Campaign Organisation has denied the claim that the mobile policeman that fired gunshots at Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele and five other All Progressives Congress (APC) members last Friday was in Ekiti State on an illegal duty.

    The group also denied harbouring any plan to assassinate the APC governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, describing the shooting incident as an “accidental discharge”.

    Adebiyi, a House of Representatives aspirant, who is in police custody was arrested on Saturday to state all he knows about the shooting incident.

    Addressing reporters in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday, Director General, Prince Tayo Adebiyi Campaign Organisation, Mr. David Ayeni, said his principal brought the policeman because of the growing incidence of kidnapping along Efon-Iwaraja-Erinmo, in recent times.

    Ayeni clarified that the policeman was struggling with a group of party members, who wanted to mob the dignitaries when the trigger was suddenly pulled and released the bullets.

    He said the shooting was regrettable, but insisted that it was a clear case of accidental discharge as once posited by the Ekiti State Police Command.

    Ayeni appreciated the Nigeria Police Force for their effectiveness, by promptly bringing the situation under control, saying this reduced the number of casualties.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Opeyemi Bamidele, two others shot at reception for Fayemi

    There was a shooting incident at the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat as the party’s governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, arrived to a tumultuous welcome.
    Fayemi, his wife, Bisi Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, deputy governorship candidate, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi escaped being shot.
    A yet-to-be identified Mobile Policeman (MOPOL) fired shots which hit a former House of Representatives member, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele and two others.
    One of those who was hit by the bullet was feared dead, but the trigger-happy cop was disarmed by angry party members and beaten up.
    Shooting happened at about 5.00 pm

  • Egbeyemi is Fayemi’s running mate

    FORMER Ekiti State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, has been nominated as the All Progressives Congress (APC) deputy governorship candidate.

    Egbeyemi, a grassroots politician and an indigene of Ado-Ekiti, has held key positions at party, executive and legislative levels.

    He is a teacher, lawyer, former local government chairman, former House of Assembly member, former commissioner and a traditional chief in his community.

    The APC deputy governorship candidate is a home-based politician and businessman with interests in law, hospitality, education and property.

    A statement by Mr. Wole Olujobi of the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation, said Egbyemi’s choice was arrived at Wednesday night after party leaders held a marathon meeting to consider the best among the personalities being considered as Fayemi’s running mate.

    Egbeyemi, an indigene of Ado-Ekiti, was born on May 8, 1944 to the family of the late Egbeyemi Alade and the late Madam Tinubu Egbeyemi.

    He started his education at the Holy Trinity Anglican School, Ilawe-Ekiti and Baptist School, Ado-Ekiti, after which he attended Harding Memorial Modern School, Ado-Ekiti.

    He studied privately while working as a Laboratory Assistant at Ekiti Parapo College, Ido-Ekiti, and while working as a bursar at Notre Dame Grammar School, Usi-Ekiti, Egbeyemi sat as a private student to pass both the GCE Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations.

    He later proceeded to the College of Education, University of Lagos, where he graduated in Biology and Physical Education with distinction.

    He taught briefly at the St Mary’s Girls Secondary School, Ikole-Ekiti, in 1975 before he was transferred to the Teachers’ College, Oye-Ekiti, as a pioneer Physical Education tutor between 1975 and 1977.

    He later went to the University of Ife to read Law between 1977 and 1980 before proceeding to the Law School in Lagos for his Barrister at Law certificate and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1981 as a Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

    His political experiences spanned many fields, including the Youth Leader of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) between 1979 and 1983; a member of the old Ondo State House of Assembly in 1983; and Executive Chairman of Ado-Ekiti Local Government between 1991 and 1993.

    Others include: Leader of the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) in Ado-Ekiti Local Government between 1996 and 1997 and was founding member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), using the platform to win the House of Representatives election that was cancelled by the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, in 1998.

    Between 1991 and 1992, he was Commissioner of Education and between 2001 and 2002, Egbeyemi was a member of the Governing Council of the National Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna.

     

  • Fayemi begins governorship campaign Friday

    The former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, will arrive Ekiti State on Friday for commencement of his governorship election campaign.

    Fayemi, who resigned as minister on Wednesday, is the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate in the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti.

    According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Fayemi Campaign Office and signed by Mr. Wole Olujobi, the candidate will be received at the Akure Airport by party leaders for the onward journey to Ekiti.

    The statement said Fayemi would be received by Ekiti people in Ikere-Ekiti where he would make brief stops to address the people.

    The ex-governor will also stop at the party secretariat in Ado-Ekiti and other designated places in the state capital to address the people before travelling to Isan for a reception that will herald the commencement of his campaign for the poll.

    The statement praised the former minister for serving the country diligently.

     

  • APC: litigation can’t stop Fayemi

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has objected to suit filed by the African People’s Party (APP) seeking the disqualification of its governorship flag bearer, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    The party said the suit was being sponsored by “the common enemy of the people” in a bid to distract Fayemi in his campaign for votes.

    It said instead of dissipating energy on a matter that had long been settled by the Supreme Court, “the litigants should have taken heart and concentrated on the July 14 governorship election favoured to be won by Fayemi to enable him settle down to begin the process of reconstruction of Ekiti.

    The APP filed the case at an Abuja High Court seeking a relief to disqualify Fayemi to run on grounds of his indictment by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by Governor Ayo Fayose to probe his administration.

    Fayemi has since gone to court seeking disbandment of the panel on grounds of partisanship of members, explaining that members of the panel are Fayose’s appointees over whom he exercises authority.

    The Minister of Mines and Steel Development said Fayose’s action amounted to an accuser also acting as a judge in his own case. But, reacting to APP’s application, APC Publicity Secretary Taiwo Olatunbosun, said it would amount to a wasteful move to approach a lower court to upturn the ruling of the Supreme Court in similar cases that had been settled as precedents in election qualification dispute.

    He said the APP’s application was being teleguided by “unseen hands” to frustrate Fayemi from contesting the election, Olatunbosun said:

    “It will amount to futility to file this matter before a lower court after the Supreme Court had ruled in similar cases involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar versus INEC and former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano State versus Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso when the highest court in the land ruled that no White Paper or indictment by any tribunal or commission, except the courts, can bar Nigerians from contesting election,

    “But, we have since discovered that the common enemy of Ekiti people is behind the sponsorship of the litigation to cause distraction for our party’s candidate, Dr Fayemi, who is poised to win the July 14 election.

    “We will not be troubled by this needless distraction because our party, with its development blue print that will be sold across the state, is determined to win the July 14 election so that Ekiti State can be on her feet again for the challenges of rebuilding the state that has been bastardised by Governor Fayose in the last three and half years.”

    Olatunbosun accused Fayose of masterminding the lawsuit to cause distraction. He said: “Fayose has been trying all tricks to ensure that APC fails to win the July 14 election but he will fail in all.

    “We hereby serve notice that the years of Fayose’s shenanigans are over for our party led by Dr Fayemi to come on board to repair the damage that Fayose has wrought on Ekiti State.

    “Social security scheme for Ekiti elderly people is coming back; Fayemi will restore local council development areas, YCAD, Volunteer Corps, urban renewal, free health for the indigent and nursing mothers, free health, industrialization and tourism, among other life-lifting programmes that Fayose has cancelled and replaced with self-serving programmes that benefit only him and his family members.

    “The incoming government to be led by Fayemi will be people-oriented administration that will take the welfare of all Ekiti people as a priority instead of the present government that was designed by Fayose to profit himself alone and members of his family.”

    Olatunbosun urged the people not to be swayed by lies being sold them by Fayose to put them in perpetual slavery, noting that the governor had never fulfilled any of its campaign promises to address their problems.

    He said: “Fayose has started deceiving teachers, local government workers and workers generally that Fayemi will sack them if he wins the governorship election.

    “This is pure lie from a man that traffics in lies as a state policy, as Fayemi had repeatedly said that he will not sack any worker and we wish to counsel Ekiti people and workers in particular to shake themselves off from the shackles of slavery that Fayose has put them through which he has been deceiving them into the life of misery via unpaid salaries, cancellation of life-support programmes and unemployment in the last three and half years while he regularly picks his monthly N300m security vote and monthly N90m “sundry expenses” while workers, pensioners and political office holders are being owed between six and 10 months salary arrears.”

  • With Fayemi in truth and indeed

    The primary election of who to carry the flag of the APC into the coming gubernatorial election in July has finally been concluded in spite of the expected stiff competition and attendant acrimony. In a contest where 33 equally qualified professional and experienced men vied for one position the person who emerged must necessarily have overwhelming merit. Dr John Kayode Fayemi Ph.D London   In truth and in deed has merit. The task at hand now is the need for collective leadership which the leadership of the APC in the South West and the nation at large has called for .Ekiti State is blessed with good people and there is no reason why our putative state should not do well. Now that Fayemi is leaving the federal executive we pray that the president will immediately fill the vacant position with chief Segun Oni who was previously governor of the state and who came second to Fayemi in the primary election and who until recently was vice chairman of the APC for the South West. He is an excellent person for any position requiring experience, honesty and tact.

    Fayemi is tried and tested and has proved himself to be a good manager of people and resources. In his first incarnation as governor of Ekiti he was too busy thinking like Obafemi Awolowo, about how to make the lives of the people better that he forgot he was first a politician before being a governor and allowed himself to be rigged out of the gubernatorial position. He really had no chance in the face of overwhelming odds. His opponent, while using federal might under President Goodluck Jonathan, got Fayemi on Election Day, confined to his country home and prevented from coming out of his compound while the current governor and his supporters including people like senator Obanikoro were roaming the state with bags of money accompanied by police and soldiers to ensure the election was no contest. That is now history. After having been dealt a cruel blow President Jonathan cynically conferred on Fayemi the National honour of CFR (Commander of the order of Federal Republic). As a Christian Fayemi took his plight with equanimity and was later called to serve as minister of Solid minerals where for more than two years he has carefully laid down the rules to guide solid mineral exploitation and the revival of the moribund iron and steel sector of the economy in spite of the meddlesome intervention of the National Assembly which sometimes leaves law making only to assume executive actions. To Fayemi charity begins at home. He could easily remain a federal minister and distant himself from the banality of the local politics of his state and bury himself in the much more exciting politics at the Centre. But for Kayode Fayemi, all politics is local

    Fayemi has been a good representative of Ekiti people. Ekiti people are known for the courage, doggedness, hard work and academic brilliance among other attributes. We are also known for culture, respect for elders, honesty and service. I grew up knowing all these attributes and seeing my parents bowing to the demands of societal values. I know Kayode Fayemi epitomizes these values. Ability to out shout your opponent and to bring down governance to the level of the hoi polloi is not what a developing society that is desirous of catching up with the rest of the world needs, rather it needs sobriety, introspection, reflection and policies based on research and experience. This is how the rest of the world operates. This is what Kayode Fayemi has come to be known for.

    I remember the first time I met Professor Chike Obi the great mathematician who, said Ekiti people within a generation caught up with all those who preceded them in the acquisition of western education. This is the Ekiti that I am proud of and not the Ekiti of “stomach infrastructure “I do not want to be misunderstood. Every man has a role to play in the stage of life. The current governor, no doubt has done his best but we do not want a third term for him because that is what electing Prof Olusola will mean. Even prince Adeyeye the former propagandist of the PDP and an Ekiti patriot has said this much. After the boisterous last four years we need some time of quiet and respite to plan for an uncertain future. We are entering a phase in our national life which requires thinking out of the box and the future belongs to those who can think while standing.

    In kayode Fayemi’s last Administration We all saw how he crisscrossed the state with good roads. I remember Femi Fani- Kayode  and Ribadu asking him ,in my presence ,what was the  magic wand he used to accomplish  the extraordinary and excellent network of roads in Ekiti when compared  with the terrible situation   they witnessed in Kogi State  while  driving from Abuja to Ekiti in 2013. Ekiti is a poor state depending almost totally on federal statutory allocation and external technical assistance if we have a governor like Fayemi who was able to tap that source when he was in power. Ekiti would have to look inwards and find ways to increase internally generated revenue through tourism ,the hospitality business and mechanized agriculture .Professor Olusola the PDP  side kick of Fayose May be educated  locally but he lacks the global experience and exposure to run a modern state. His experience does not go beyond tutelage under the pedestrian administration of a man with limited education but with more enthusiasm than wisdom. I know that the present governor has won the support and admiration of all of us for resisting killers disguised as herders terrorizing innocent people in the state. I salute him for his courage. He has earned his rest and his deputy should go back to his class room where because of his young age he can still give many years of fruitful service to the Nation.

    I write this not to curry any favor from anybody.  There is nothing I want more than to leave this world and Ekiti State better than how I met it .I write because I am a stakeholder in Ekiti. My great grandfather was one of the commanders of the Ekiti parapo army and my family has been at the vanguard of protecting Ekiti interest in modern times. God willing, if Fayemi wins, I will only offer advice if asked and would not accept any remuneration whatsoever. I want the best for  Ekiti so  that like the romans of old my son can say “ civis Ekitius sum” and expect to be accorded the respect which our hard fighting ancestors have earned for us.

  • Fayemi suspends campaign to honour apc aspirant

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has suspended campaign activities for one week in honour of a former governorship aspirant, Mr. Kole Ajayi, who died last week.

    Ajayi, a former National President of the Ekiti State University (EKSU) Alumni Association, died on his way to Lagos for a function.

    The remains of the lawyer-turned politician, who died at the age 51, will be buried on May 31 in Ado-Ekiti.

    Fayemi in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Mr. Olayinka Oyebode, directed that all activities by his campaign be put on hold this week.

    These include planned electioneering visits to some communities and the reception in honour of Fayemi. New dates for rescheduled activities will be announced later, Oyebode said.

    The statement said the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, who is outside the country on official assignment has since got in touch with the family of the deceased.

    Fayemi, who described Ajayi’s death as “saddening and devastating,” said the late politician deserved every honour the campaign organisation and indeed all his supporters could accord him in view of his demonstrated commitment of the candidate at the just concluded primary.

    The APC flag bearer said the late Ajayi brought colour to the Kayode Fayemi governorship campaign within the short period he worked with the team and exhibited  commitment to the advancement of the campaign.

    “Kole Ajayi was a thoroughbred professional, highly resourceful politician and advocate of good governance. He was a man you can trust to discharge an assignment effectively once he is convinced it would lead to the general good.

    “Regarded as one of Fayemi’s most vocal and ardent supporters, the late Ajayi was the toast of many media outfits during the just concluded governorship primary of the party where he analysed Ekiti politics and drummed support for the Minister.

    “He was also noted for his wits and oratory prowess, which he deployed effortlessly to electrify many of the Minister’s campaign outings,” Oyebode said.

  • Fayose planning attack on Segun Oni’s supporters, says Fayemi

    …. Ojudu pledges support

    The Kayode Fayemi Campaign Office said it has uncovered a clandestine plan by Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to carry out coordinated attacks on supporters and associates of former Governor Segun Oni, using thugs who would pretend to be working for Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Mines and Steel Development and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    According to the campaign office, the plan, which had reached advanced stage, was designed by Fayose as part of the efforts to cause disharmony between the two former governors as well as their supporters. According to information, the assailants would carry out the dastardly act, wearing JKF branded materials and making insinuations that would establish a possible link to the Fayemi political camp.

    Security agencies in the state are hereby alerted to this clandestine move by the PDP goons aimed at introducing violent dimension to the politics of the state ahead of the July 14 governorship election. We urge all supporters and members of APC to remain vigilant, shun any form of violence  during this electioneering period and report any act of intimidation to the law enforcement agencies,” the  release said.

    Meanwhile, Senator Babafemi Ojudu has promised support for Fayemi  to win the governorship election in the state on July 14. Ojudu, Senior Special Adviser on Politics to the President had withdrawn from the race for the APC ticket after it was marred by violence. In a statement by his campaign team, ERO 2018, he was quoted as saying “We wish to extend good wishes to the nominee of our party Dr. Kayode Fayemi and restate our support for the policies of President Muhammadu Buhari to fight corruption anywhere it may be found”

    He expressed appreciation to all for the support given to him during his quest to be the candidate of the party in Ekiti State reiterating that it “was never about an ambition, but about our people.” He added that the withdrawal by his group was an act of patriotism – to reinforce the importance of the sanctity of the process and ensure the sanity of our political system while being focused on the big picture.

  • Olusola under attack for alleged lies against Fayemi

    The JKF Centre, a leadership training and development outfit in Ado-Ekiti, has accused the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, of lying against the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi “to score cheap political points”.

    The centre slammed Olusola for alleging on an interview on Channels Television that Fayemi owed three months arrears of workers’ salaries at the time he left office in October 2014.

    In a statement signed by its Director, Mr. Biodun Omoleye, the centre also took exception to Olusola’s demand that Fayemi must make restitution over alleged misconduct while in office between 2010 and 2014.

    Olusola made the demand in a statement issued by his campaign outfit, Kolapo Olusola Campaign Organisation (KOCO) on Monday.

    Omoleye said the people of Ekiti are shocked that Olusola, whom he described as a pastor in Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) could resort to lies when he knew that Fayemi only owed workers one month at the time he left office.

    He said Fayemi could not pay September salary of 2014 because Olusola’s boss, Governor Ayo Fayose, blocked the pre-arranged bank facility to pay workers by issuing threats to the bank to stop the facility.

    Omoleye urged the authorities of CAC to sanction Olusola for allegedly telling lies “recklessly and shamelessly”.

    He said Olusola resorted to deceiving unsuspecting members of the public and the global television audience because the administration in which he is serving “has made lying its official state policy”.

    Omoleye said: “This shameless accusation and lies from the supposed man of God, a Pastor of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) is not a surprise, considering the character that nurtured him as a politician.

    “We can understand the moral pedigree of a supposed man of God in an administration battling with accusations of serial murders, salary padding, contract scams, over-invoicing over which several permanent secretaries that refused to cooperate had been sacked.

    “We can only pity a man of God dining with a rogue administration that secretly took N56b loans to pay salary and for development projects but criminally diverted all to cronies’ companies for personal benefit, but still shamelessly insisted that it didn’t borrow one kobo.”

    Omoleye, said it is an insult and affront on the good people of Ekiti State for Olusola, who is the number two in a “cloudy and fraudulent administration” that has left the state in ruins and state’s work-force devastated over 10 months unpaid salaries, including N56b debts overhang, to accuse Fayemi of misconduct in government for which he must make restitution.

    He added: “The CAC ought to punish Eleka (Olusola) for his brazen and shameless lie on an international television station that Fayemi owed three months salary when the fact available to all Nigerians is that Fayemi owed only September salary because Fayose blocked the pre-arranged bank facility to pay workers by issuing threats to the bank to stop the facility.

    “When federal allocation for September (2014) was paid to Fayose in October (2014), he refused to spend it to pay September salary as was the case in salary payment protocol in force at the time.

    “Instead of hiding his face in shame for debasing his religious practice by associating with crooks in government, he abandoned issue-based campaign for hooliganism in his baseless accusation to score cheap points in his continuity agenda that holds no promise for Ekiti development.”

     

  • Fayose, Fayemi cannot stop me from winning Ekiti poll-Ayegbusi, SDP candidate

    The Social Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Mr. Akin Ayegbusi, says he remains confident that he would emerge victorious in the July election.

    Ayegbusi, who spoke in Abuja on Thursday, said projections from his interactions with the grassroots shows he has a better chance of winning in spite of the presumed popularity of the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prof. Kplawole Eleka and that of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    The 44-year-old Investment Banker explained that his forays into politics was informed by the contradictions in the management of the state’s human resource capital, especially the youth who have been rendered idle by government’s unsustainable policies.

    He said, if elected, he would add vigour to governance and engage the youths and all other citizens meaningfully in vocations that would develop the state in sectors such as agriculture and industrial development, health, tourism, welfare and poverty alleviation.

    Describing himself as the David that is poised to defeat the political Goliaths in Ekiti, Ayegbusi said he would tap into his experience in the banking sector to bring sustainable programmes and funds to the state.

    “When you speak of the political influence of Fayose and Fayemi, I think they are both dead on arrival. The people of Ekiti are tired of seeing the same set of leaders. The general feeling is that they have seen PDP and APC for many years and they want a fresh face. We have been have intra and inter party affiliations and I remain the best alternative in the present situation. For every Goliath, there is a David that will bring him down.

    “Ekiti people are tired of politics of gangsters and stomach infrastructure. Even playing the religious card would not help Fayose because Ekiti State is homogenous. I have been getting a lot of support as the youth are keying into my campaign to re-orientate them to take their destinies into their hands instead of being as political thugs,” he said.

    Ayegbusi, while vowing to change the narrative of Ekiti State as a Fountain of Knowledge, but without any notable industrial zones apart from producing teachers and professors, said he has developed a model that would bring high-end investor to the state for sustainable development.

    Highlighting his vision and mission, he said it would include, among others, the need to “lead a people-oriented and goal-getting government that will restore Ekiti’s dignity, rich socio-cultural and political values and hopes by ensuring, engender equitable distribution of the hard-earned dividends of Nigeria’s nascent democracy; Rejuvenate and strengthen the state’s emaciating economic potentialities and lift Ekiti state to an enviable platform in the comity of the states in the country.”