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Tag: Fayemi

  • I’ll defeat Fayemi, says Olubolade

    I’ll defeat Fayemi, says Olubolade

    A governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade, has said he will defeat Governor Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the June 21 election.

    Olubolade, a former Minister of Police Affairs, spoke yesterday at the PDP national secretariat when he submitted his nomination form.

    He said his experience and achievements as a military administrator of Bayelsa State and Police Affairs minister put him in good stead to take Ekiti State to “the next level.”

    Olubolade said: “I will defeat Fayemi because I am better equipped for the job. My achievements as a military administrator of Bayelsa State; minister of Police Affairs; minister of Special Duties and minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) speak for me. I maintained a culture of transparency and accountability in the public positions I held and was not involved in any scandal.

    “I will give the people of Ekiti joy and a new lease of life. Leadership is not by giving lectures; you have to identify with your people, do their wishes, carry them along and be transparent with their money. You must place everything on the table for them to see. They in turn will stand by you.”

    Expressing his preference for the consensus option, Olubolade said he was ready for a primary election, if the party’s leadership insists on it.

    He admitted his closeness to President Goodluck Jonathan, saying he learnt valuable lessons from his relationship with the President.

    Olubolade said the “valuable lessons” would assist him in governing Ekiti State, adding: “Go and check the places I have worked in my life, I am free of crisis. I am free of corruption and that is what stands me out. If given the ticket, I am confident we will win the state for the PDP.”

  • Fayemi signs five bills into law

    Fayemi signs five bills into law

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi yesterday signed five bills into law.

    They are the Administration of Criminal Justice Bill; Law Reform Commission Bill; Customary Court Bill; Arbitration Bill and Ekiti State College of Technical and Commercial Agriculture Bill.

    With the new laws, the House of Assembly has passed 64 bills into law.

    Fayemi said the Administration of Criminal Justice Law revises the old Criminal Codes, such that they would not only punish offenders but reform them.

    He said his administration worked with stakeholders to restructure and strengthen the administration of justice, hence the domestication of relevant federal laws to reflect realities of the local environment.

    Fayemi: “The theme of equality evokes the subsidiary idea of a leveller. It erases gender, race, creed, ethnicity, class and other social markers by which societies have typically discriminated among their members. The most apparent and practical expression of equality before the law is equal access to justice. This is the core of a truly democratic and progressive society.”

    On the Arbitration Law, which states that people should go to court as a last resort, the governor said it is hoped that the law would decongest the courts by expanding the scope for settlement outside it and open commercial opportunities for professional arbitrators.

    He said the State College of Technical and Commercial Agriculture Law was to establish a solid institution that would reclaim the state’s position in global agricultural practice.

    Fayemi said agriculture was the mainstay of the state’s economy, adding that the improvement of technical skills was a pre-requisite for modernised agriculture and ensuring food security.

    House of Assembly Speaker Dr. Adewale Omirin said the new laws were passed to make justice available to all citizens.

    He said the legislature will continue to support the executive to meet the people’s needs.

  • Champion honours Fayemi

    Champion honours Fayemi

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi is the recipient of Champion’s 2013 Governor of the Year award.

    According to Champion’s nomination letter to the governor on Wednesday, the award was its way of “recognising leaders who have paid greater sacrifice in ensuring that the objectives and ideals of our nationhood are sustained.”

    Presenting the letter to Fayemi in his office in Ado-Ekiti, Champion’s Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Mrs. Nwadiuto Iheakanwa said the newspaper had been monitoring developments in the state and was impressed by the quality of governance delivered by the Fayemi administration and its huge investments in the social security scheme for the elderly, health, education, infrastructure and tourism development.

    The letter reads: “On all scores, our findings, largely corroborated by that of independent assessors, confirm that Ekiti State, under Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has become a model in terms of value creation. We note, with delight, the uncommon zeal and pragmatism with which you (Fayemi) have pursued the business of transforming Ekiti into a showpiece.

    “Today, it is generally acknowledged that the culture of dynamism now governs Ekiti State in terms of infrastructure development, investment drive and corporate governance. This is a credit to the vision, tenacity, commitment, dedication, accountability and transparency of the Fayemi administration.

    “As watchdogs of the society, it is our duty not only to track and document your performance but also to acknowledge your commitment to serve and your doggedness to transform our society.”

    The investiture comes up next month in Lagos.

  • Fayemi advises council chairmen to seek excellence

    Fayemi advises council chairmen to seek excellence

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi yesterday swore in new caretaker chairmen in the 16 local government councils.

    They are Tope Olanipekun (Ado); Adio Folayan (Efon); Sunday Ajidara (Ekiti East); Yemi Alatise (Ekiti South West); Akin Alade (Ekiti West) and Febisola Adewale (Emure).

    Others are Femi Awe (Gbonyin); Kehinde Ogunlade (Ido Osi); Dele Olatuyi, (Ikole); Adegoroye Bamigboye (Ilejemeje); Tajudeen Awe, (Irepodun/Ifelodun); Deji Ajayi, (Ise Orun); Olakanmi Olaseinde, Moba and Akindele Ogungbuyi (Oye).

    The ceremony was held at the Jibowu Hall in Ado-Ekiti.

    Eleven interim chairmen were returned, but those of Ekiti West, Ekiti East, Ijero, Ikere and Moba were changed.

    Appreciating those who were not returned for their performance, Fayemi said he does not appoint people “based on party patronage, but on their achievements and excellence.”

    He said councils play critical roles in the socio-economic development of communities, adding that the new roads built in councils facilitated growth at the grassroots.

    The governor said his administration spent over N614 million on developmental programmes at the grassroots last year, adding: “The quality of the self help projects was of high standard, as they were implemented by the people.”

    He said he would conduct council polls before the end of this year, adding that the Medium Term Expenditure Framework would speed up grassroots development.

    Fayemi said: “There is no woman among you and this is the last time you will see a set of council bosses without women. I want you to realise that your appointments were not based on party patronage, but on your achievements. High performance is demanded from you because the people’s expectation is high.”

    He urged them to interact with rulers in their communities.

    At the event were Deputy Governor Prof. Modupe Adelabu; House of Assembly Speaker Adewale Omirin; state lawmakers; Secretary to the State Government Ganiyu Owolabi; Chief of Staff to the Governor Yemi Adaramodu; members of the State Executive Council; All Progressives Congress (APC) State Deputy Chairman Chief Dele Falusi and the party’s Secretary, Biodun Ogunleye.

  • Fayemi’s wife assists stranded mother of triplets

    Fayemi’s wife assists stranded mother of triplets

    Relief has come the way of a mother of triplets, Mrs. Abosede Omole, who was abandoned by her husband because she had multiple births.

    The wife of the Ekiti State governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, has offered to pay Mrs. Omole’s hospital bill and help her to set up a business of her choice.

    Erelu Fayemi visited the nursing mother and her babies on Tuesday at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) in Ado-Ekiti.

    She donated cash and other gifts to Mrs. Omole, whose only companion has been her mother, Mrs. Dupe Afolabi, since her husband deserted her.

    Mrs. Fayemi urged Mr. Adewale Omole to return to his wife and children and ask them for forgiveness.

    Instead of abandoning his wife to her fate, she said, Omole should have sought the government’s assistance through the Multiple Births Trust Fund.

    Mrs. Fayemi said many families with multiple births were benefiting from the scheme and the Ekiti Development Foundation (EDF).

    She said: “I am appealing to Mr. Omole wherever he is to please return to his wife and children. He cannot run away from his responsibilities. More so, you do not know whether these children are future stars. We need a law to prevent men from abandoning their responsibilities in this state.

    “There are too many instances where men abandon their families and take off. They abandon their wives in hospitals when they are presented with surgery bills and take off, with the excuse that they are going to look for money.”

    Having had two children before the arrival of the triplets, the governor’s wife advised that the family should embrace family planning.

    Omole allegedly bolted after a scan result indicated that his wife, who did not attend ante-natal clinic, was carrying twins at the point of delivery. But the woman was delivered of triplets instead.

    EKSUTH Acting Medical Director Kolawole Ogundipe said Mrs. Omole was brought to EKSUTH when the faith-based home where she was delivered of the triplets could not handle the post-delivery complications.

    He said the third of the triplets was under intensive care but stable.

    Mrs. Omole thanked Mrs. Fayemi for her intervention.

  • Fayemi breathes life into Oba Adejugbe Hospital

    Fayemi breathes life into Oba Adejugbe Hospital

    The quietness and serenity around Agric Olope in Ajilosun Area of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, has witnessed some hustling and rustling in the last couple of months. This signalled the re-awakening of Oba Rufus Adejugbe General Hospital Complex which construction was abandoned in 2010 by the former administration.

    Governor Kayode Fayemi had by the end of 2012 graciously approved the resumption of construction work on the project. The contractor has since been sweating it out daily at the hospital meant to complement the health care delivery programme of the state government.

    The construction of the hospital started in June 2009, after the award of contract, but lack of funds stalled the project thereafter. The contractor has, however, promised to complete work on the health facility as soon as possible since it is a flagship project of the Governor Fayemi’s administration.

    In 2008, when the State Specialist Hospital was upgraded to a Teaching Hospital, a vacuum was created in the area of a secondary health facility for the people. The brunt was felt more by the residents of Ado-Ekiti as they had to contend with the daily overstretched health professionals and facilities the Specialist Hospitals provided.

    However, it became expedient to construct a General Hospital because of the high traffic being experienced in a teaching hospital, the need for a secondary health facility to attend to minor ailments and the urge to reduce the workload of the teaching hospital to specialised areas.

    As part of government’s efforts towards having a befitting General Hospital complex and also complement the Specialist Hospitals in terms of healthcare delivery to the entire populace in the state, the Oba Adejugbe Hospital project became imperative and paramount on the Governor’s agenda.

    Mr. Bayo Kelekun, Special Adviser, Bureau of Special Project stated that the construction work at the hospital has been very steady and hitch-free. “The workmen have been very regular, while our monitoring officers are on hand inspecting the level of work and giving professional advice where necessary. The governor is very passionate about the project, because of this we are giving it utmost attention and unhindered supervision.”

    It is no gainsaying, that the hospital when completed will boost the economic and social status of the state, and also add in no small measure to the overall beauty of the state capital.

    The Fayemi administration would have extended its developmental frontiers to cover once again the health sector in addition to infrastructure, road construction, education, tourism and other key areas of the 8-Point Agenda for the state.

    In terms of taking the dividends of democracy to the door steps of Ekiti people, Ado-Ekiti appears to have been the greatest beneficiary with the turn around that has taken place.

    A first time visitor to Ado-Ekiti would not but marvel and awe struck at the transformation that has occurred in the last two years.

    Commenting on the development, Mr. Caleb Babalola an indigene of Ado said the construction of the hospital complex is a laudable development as it would not only boost the healthcare delivery system of the state, but would serve as an alternative to the Teaching Hospital in terms of attendance and service provision.

    “There is no denying the fact that Ado-Ekiti has enjoyed an unprecedented change in the area of social and infrastructural growth since the inception of the present government. We could not have expected less from Governor Fayemi, because it is the promise he made to the people of the state and we have seen him fulfilling it.”

    “The expectation of residents of Ado is extremely high on the hospital. We cannot wait to see it completed,” Babalola enthused.

    The facility situated on about 17.033 hectares of land is to be completed for commissioning soon.

    Mr. Sola Akinlusi, the site Engineer of Datlex Nigeria Limited, the contractor handling the project, said the company is committed to prompt conclusion of work on the hospital. “We share the same passion as the governor on the project. We are committed to ensuring that we deliver on our promise to build a befitting and standard hospital for our people,” he said.

    Akinlusi informed that they were at about 70 per cent in terms of level of work done. “We are almost done with internal renderings (plastering) of the walls. All the windows are being installed. We have done the laying of cables, pipes and fixing of sockets and switches for electrical fittings.”

    He added that the floors are being prepared for the terrazzo, while work on the roofing has commenced alongside the fabrication. “The fabrication and installation will take about a month and half to complete. After the plastering of walls, the burglar bars that are already on ground would be installed. We will continue with plastering of soak-away and septic tanks, since they have been excavated. The plumbing work is also about 60 per cent done and we have carried out pressure test to ascertain the durability of the installations,” Akinlusi stressed.

    He said he could beat his chest that tremendous progress has been done and hopeful that the project would be delivered as soon as possible.

    On completion, the Agric Olope area, location of the hospital would no doubt enjoy an unusual influx of people. Apart from hospital workers, patients will be in droves on a daily basis. With the construction of the proposed market in the same vicinity, a welcome ambience would have been created.

    In addition to the new atmosphere, the hospital when commissioned would help to demystify the issue of unemployment in the state to a certain level.

    “When the hospital is completed, there would be an array of qualified health professionals at work cutting across the various departments in the hospital. Apart from this, in the area of maintenance, security, environment, technical and mechanical department, staff would be employed to work.

    Once this happens, unemployment rate would reduce and the health sector would have seen great improvement,” a doctor pointed out.

    The Special Adviser, Bayo Kelekun disclosed that the governor is being informed of the progress of work at the hospital site on regular basis, since it is a flagship project of the administration.

    When completed, the Oba Adejugbe Hospital that had its foundation laid on July 30, 2009 would comprise a storey-building which would contain the general administration section, general out-patient department, accident and emergency and mini-theatre. It will also have the wards for males and females; surgical (male, female) children/children emergency ward. Also, there will be the maternity–ante natal, labour room and post natal.

    A laboratory, two theatre rooms, Radiology, physiotherapy, dental care and pharmacy would also be within the complex.

    •Daramola is a Media Assistant, Bureau of Special Projects, Governor’s Office, Ado-Ekiti.

  • No plan to sack teachers, says Fayemi

    No plan to sack teachers, says Fayemi

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has denied rumours that he plans to sack teachers after the governorship election.

    He said the rumour was the handiwork of his detractors, adding that they were behind attempts to paint his administration black and misinterpret its intentions for the Education sector.

    Fayemi spoke yesterday at the Ola Oluwa Muslim Grammar School in Ado-Ekiti at the closing of the 2013 Cluster Schools Model for the Teachers’ Professional Development Training Programme.

    He said the government encourages teachers to partake in capacity building programmes, adding that this paid off as evident in last year’s Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

    Fayemi said last year’s SSCE result was the best in the last 10 years, adding that his administration had reasons to be proud of teachers.

    He said: “There is no reason we should not make teachers proud of their profession. We are asking you to undergo capacity building training because we believe in your ability to deliver. Last year’s SSCE result is the best we have had in the last 10 years. It is the result of your work, not mine. Teachers in public schools are better remunerated than those in private schools, so why should pupils in public schools not be better than those in private schools? The best pupils last year were from Ikere High School; Government Girls College, Iyin; and Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti. You are the ones to help us maintain this standard and achieve 100 per cent.”

    Fayemi said the government would improve teachers’ welfare package this year in appreciation of their hard work.

    State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) Kayode Akosile said: “There have been insinuations that teachers do not like you and that you do not like teachers. But the way the crowd welcomed you when you came in today showed the true situation of things. I think the rumour is the handiwork of political gladiators. For as long as you (Fayemi) remain governor, teachers will continue to support you. You will continue to carry our loads and we will continue to bring our complaints to your door step. Despite the state’s financial constraints, I, like many others, received an alert yesterday that my January salary had been paid. Many of our colleagues in other states are yet to receive their December salary.”

    Thanking the government for organising the training, he said: “There is need to continue to learn, especially under this type of unique cluster training.”

    At the event were the Deputy Governor, who also chairs the State Universal Basic Education Board, (SUBEB), Prof. Modupe Adelabu; Commissioner for Education Kehinde Ojo and chairman of the State Teaching Service Commission Bayo Adeniran, among others.

  • Fayemi, Ikuforiji extol Okeowo’s virtues

    Fayemi, Ikuforiji extol Okeowo’s virtues

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has commiserated with Nigerians on the death of the former President of the defunct National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS), Mr. Segun Okeowo.

    In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, Fayemi described Okeowo’s death as “the end of an era”.

    He said the late Okeowo was a freedom fighter, whose legacy will inspire future generations to defend the oppressed.

    Fayemi said the late Okeowo secured a place for himself in the nation’s history by leading Nigerian students in the “Ali Must Go” protest in 1978.

    He said Okeowo’s courage and refusal to be silent in the face of tyranny was a lesson to leaders to always respect the people’s rights.

    The governor said personalities like the late Okeowo inspired many people, including him, to join the Students’ Union movement as undergraduates at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), a development he said prepared him to become a pro-democracy activist, rights campaigner and governor.

    He also said the late Okeowo used his experience as an educationist to reposition the Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board.

    Fayemi urged the late Okeowo’s family to take solace in the deceased’s legacies and build upon them.

    Also yesterday, Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji described the late Okeowo as “a rare gem, who tried all he could to ensure that Nigerian youths had easy access to quality education”.

    In a statement by his media aide, Mr. Rotimi Adebayo, Ikuforiji said: “The death of Comrade Okeowo, a renowned and highly courageous former students’ union leader, is not only sad, but shocking. Though he departed this world at the ripe age of 73, we would have loved to still have him around us here for more time as an uncommon hero of the youths.

    “It is on record that the late Okeowo was among Nigerian heroes, who waged relentless battles against past military regimes in the country. If not for the efforts of great souls like that of the late Okeowo, the military may not have left for their barracks when they did.

    “On this sad occasion, on behalf of the Lagos State House of Assembly, I commiserate with Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, the deceased’s family and Ogun people on this irreparable loss.

    “Apart from his dogged struggle to liberate Nigerian students, for whom he fought for unrestricted access to quality education, the late Okeowo was a committed patriot, who strongly believed in Nigeria throughout his lifetime.

    “It is on record, for instance, that since leading the defunct NUNS, he remained in Nigeria to impact on the lives of the young ones through the teaching profession, rather than see greener pastures abroad.

    “It is gratifying that he rose to the pinnacle of his career by becoming a secondary school principal and the icing on his cake was his appointment as the chairman of the Ogun State Teaching Service Commission.

    “May God grant his gentle soul eternal bliss and also grant his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

  • Ekiti 2014: Can the opposition upset Fayemi?

    Ekiti 2014: Can the opposition upset Fayemi?

    As the race for this year’s governorship election draws nearer in Ekiti State, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, takes a look at the state of the opposition parties in the state and reports that their vision of dislodging Fayemi seems to be a far cry

    Ahead of the governorship election in Ekiti State later this year, political activities in the state is upbeat with the opposition parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), seeking to unseat the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration led by Governor Kayode Fayemi.

    The quest by the opposition parties to dislodge Fayemi, according to pundits, is expected, given that the governor’s original party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), only returned to the Ado-Ekiti Government House about four years ago, after nearly eight years in the cold.

    The Alliance for Democracy (AD) had produced Niyi Adebayo as governor of the state in 1999. But the party lost in 2003 to Ayo Fayose of the PDP to commence an era of PDP’s domination of Ekiti political landscape. Even in 2007, in spite of Fayose’s failure to get re-elected, the PDP still found a way of getting its candidate, Segun Oni, into the Government House.

    But in 2010, Fayemi, then of the defunct ACN, reclaimed his mandate through the courts to signal the return of the progressives to power in the state. And with his first term of four years gradually coming to an end, Fayemi has announced his desire to seek a second term while the opposition has also vowed to stop him.

    Consequently, the stage appears set in Ekiti for what analyst called an interesting political drama. For Fayemi, his performance in the last four years will be a major reference point. For the opposition, their preparedness to offer the people of the state a better deal than Fayemi’s will be the issue.

    Like in 2007, when the people of the state rejected the PDP and voted for the progressives en masse, the mood in Ekiti today, according to political analysts, is that of a people seeking to take their state to the next level. The implication of this is that the 2014 election is most likely to be about issues and not personalities.

    “Ekiti is all wired up for the 2014 governorship election as we speak. The people are interested in what is about to happen. They see the next election as another opportunity to further take their destiny in their own hands. Just like they did in 20107, the people of Ekiti want to determine who will be their leader based on issues and not personalities.

    “The beauty of the current situation is that our options are many and the people are willing to choose from the available options, the very best in the interest of the future of Ekiti State. The era of tele-guided and stage managed electoral process are over here. We ended that with our decision to reject dubious politicians in 2007,” Ayo Ariwi of the Ekiti Mandate Group (EMG), told The Nation.

    There are also those who fear that the forthcoming election may turn violent. Their fear is premised on what analysts called the unusual desperation on the part of some politicians to change the current administration in the state at all cost.

    Recently, senior citizens in the state, under the aegis of the Ekiti Council of Elders, cautioned politicians against setting the state on fire. The elders argued that with the way some politicians are going about their preparation for the 2014 election, the state is beginning to witness some unusual descent into violence.

    “The election is still a few months away and we are already hearing of violent attacks and movement of arms and ammunitions into the state. It is our view that the politicians seeking to get political power on the strength of violence and illegality should give some thoughts to the effects of their actions on the overall wellbeing of the people they seek to rule.

    “It should be noted that it is God that gives power. We call on relevant authorities to be prepared to protect the lives and properties of Ekiti people as we march towards this forthcoming election,” the council said.

    The parties, the aspirants

    The APC appears to have made up its mind to re-present Fayemi as its governorship candidate later this year. This decision seems to have doused all forms of agitation for the ticket within the party, especially with the exit of Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, the only person from the party to have declared intention to contest the party’s ticket with the governor.

    Recently, the South-West interim Chairman of the party, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, endorsed Fayemi for a second term, declaring he has lived up to expectation.

    “I know the person I will vote for in 2014. I, Richard Adeniyi Adebayo, will vote for Fayemi. I will go round Ekiti and mobilise and canvass for votes for him. My successor in office is John Kayode Fayemi. He is manifesting the vision of the progressives; the vision of those who love Ekiti”.

    Also, the Ekiti State chapter of APC is not hiding its support for the governor’s candidacy. State Chairman, High Chief Jide Awe, recently reiterated the stance, which the party had earlier taken. Awe said the declaration, earlier made by former Governor Niyi Adebayo remains valid, adding that Fayemi has represented the party well in his first tenure as governor.

    Awe said Fayemi has vigorously run the Government of Ekiti State in line with the people-oriented programmes of the ACN and has redefined governance, with all the key sectors of the state’s economy transformed. The party boss commended the governor for rescuing the state from the ruins of “recklessness” he met it.

    “You have put the name of Ekiti positively in the mouth of people both in Nigeria and international communities. We are really proud of you. Your Excellency, politics has started already but I don’t want you to exercise any fear because we are solidly behind you.

    But if the APC can be said to have found a way to resolve the issue of who will fly its banner, the same cannot be said of the opposition parties. The rancour currently being generated by attempts by the two leading opposition parties in the state, the PDP and the LP, to narrow down on their flag-bearers is confirming the position of pundits that they may be unable to upset Fayemi after all.

    To douse the tension created by insinuations that one of the numerous aspirants seeking to get the ticket of the PDP in the state has been anointed by the presidency, the National Working Committee of the party recently said there was no anointed aspirant in the forthcoming governorship primaries of the party, assuring all aspirants of a level playing field.

    The assurance was given by the national leadership of the party when it met with stakeholders from the Ekiti State chapter at the national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja. The meeting, which lasted for about an hour, was held behind closed door.

    Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the national secretary of the party, Professor Adewale Oladipo, stated that the party had to address grey areas in the state party administration.

    “We used the opportunity to listen to them on what is happening in the state. We have asked them to prepare for the 2014 governorship election. We have also assured them that there would be a level playing ground. Mr. President has not adopted anybody. He will not adopt anybody as a preferred candidate of PDP in Ekiti. The NWC will also not adopt anybody as candidate. Due process will be followed. The consensus committee is illegal and must be stopped. It is the duty of the national leadership to conduct primaries for candidate to emerge,” he said.

    This assurance came to douse tension over controversy surrounding the alleged push for a consensus candidate, which has polarised the party in the state. It would be recalled that the Ekiti Renaissance Group had petitioned the PDP NWC on the activities of the state chairman, Mr Makanjuola Ogundipe, while some members of the State Working Committee also petitioned the national leadership of the party over alleged partisanship of the leadership.

    But in spite of the assurance and many more afterwards, the internal crisis rocking the PDP in the state is yet to abate giving the impression that the party may not be united enough in its quest to dislodge Fayemi.

    The LP is not faring better. Rather than be a blessing, the movement of Hon Bamidele into the party appears to have created a problem as it is tearing the party into factions. Few weeks back, there was chaos at the Ado-Ekiti office of the party as old members and loyalists of new entrants clashed over control of the party’s structure.

    Bamidele was accused of selecting his cronies into sensitive positions, barely two weeks after he joined the party. To protest what they described as his attempt to take over the party, old LP members stormed the State Secretariat at Ajilosun, engaging one another in a free-for-all.

    The party’s Secretary in Ado Local Government Area (LGA), Tayo Adedamola, accused Bamidele of bringing injustice into the party, which according to him, was against the LP’s motto. He said Bamidele was invited many times for discussion by party leaders, but he shunned them. He vowed that old members would not allow him to hijack the LP’s structure.

    Adedamola said Bamidele was free to return to his former party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), if he could not abide by the LP’s rules. Also, an LP governorship aspirant, Mr. Olutayo Ogunyemi, alleged that Bamidele planned to hijack the party’s governorship ticket without following the laid down principles.

    Ogunyemi said he had been on ground for long and would not “allow anyone to come from nowhere and use money to buy the conscience of party members”. He alleged that members of the Ekiti Bibiire Coalition (EBC), Bamidele’s campaign organisation, were after his life and urged security agencies to come to his help.

    And in spite of several efforts to resolve the impasse, the political rivalry between Bamidele’s men and the old order within the LP is yet to abate, creating the impression that it will also be very difficult for the party to present a common front when it eventually goes to electoral war against the ruling party.

    The odds against the opposition

    Meanwhile, some close watchers of Ekiti politics are of the opinion that it will be difficult for the opposition in the state to stop Fayemi’s re-election bid citing his performance in office as reason for their submissions.

    “Opposition is what makes politics interesting. We cannot all share the same thoughts. If there was no opposition, there possibly would be no development. If there were no such challenges, the party in government would be complacent and that could hamper development. So, the issues of Bamidele and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are keeping the government on its toes and now, we have a lot of development to campaign with. If the government had not performed, what would we have campaigned with? The development in all parts of Ekiti State is the reason everybody, including myself, want him to go for another term,” Adekunle Esan, a chieftain of the Egbe Omo Yoruba in the United States of America (USA) and Canada, said.

    Esan, an indigene of the state, while rating those aspiring to unseat the governor, said Ekiti people will only reject Fayemi at the poll if they find someone with the likelihood of performing better.

    “Bamidele served in the government of a former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, for eight years and also served for four years in that of incumbent Governor Babatunde Fashola. Today, he is a member of the House of Representatives. I know him and I doubt if Bamidele can perform better than this government is doing if he were in the saddle.

    “We know his limitations. On the other hand, we know what Fayemi stands for. We know his democratic antecedents and he is just about completing his first four years in office. So, I think it is out of place for somebody from nowhere trying to rub shoulders with him because of some petty personal issues that don’t hold water in political arena,” he argued.

    Similarly, workers in Ekiti State during the last Workers’ Day celebration, predicted a second term victory for Fayemi in the 2014 governorship election based on what it called his “laudable achievements” since assuming office.

    The state TUC Chairman, Kolawole Olaiya, made the declaration in his address to workers at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, venue of the celebration, just as Fayemi advised any civil servant interested in politics to opt out of public service and declare his intention rather than compromising what he called “the hallowed position of trust”.

    The TUC chairman stressed that the achievements of the Fayemi administration in the state are unprecedented. He pointed out that Fayemi’s regular payment of salaries, payment of minimum wage, as well as the restoration of vehicle, housing and other related loans, will win him re-election in the 2014 poll.

    Olaiya said the TUC has identified many achievements recorded since Fayemi came to power, which included the Social Security Scheme for the aged, purchase and distribution of laptops to teachers and pupils in public schools and renovation of dilapidated public schools. The TUC boss also identified free health services, reconstruction of Ikogosi Warm Spring to a world class tourist centre, construction of 5-kilometre roads in the 16 council areas and merit-based appointment of permanent secretaries as achievements capable of securing the second term for Fayemi.

    On his part, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayodeji Aluko, praised the job creation scheme of the Fayemi administration, which has helped reduce the involvement of youths in criminal activities. Aluko also appreciated the governor for approving the promotion and advancement of eligible officers recently carried out in the state civil service.

    While thanking Fayemi for regular payment of workers’ salaries and improvement in the e-payment system, the NLC chief expressed hope that the 2012 and 2013 promotions will be carried out before the end of this year. The governor, in his address, also expressed the commitment of his administration to the restoration of the Teachers’ Peculiar Allowance as soon as it is possible for the state’s lean resources to accommodate it.

    If the mood in Ekiti and the internal situations of the opposition parties in the state remain as they are now till the time the people will file out to decide who would man the ship of state in Ekiti for another four years, analyst are of the opinion that Fayemi and his ruling APC will be on their way back to the Government House in Ado-Ekiti for another term.

  • Ex-acting governor defended his people, say Fayemi, senator

    Ex-acting governor defended his people, say Fayemi, senator

    IN an emotional voice, ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi eulogised yesterday the former House of Assembly Speaker/ex-Acting Governor Friday Aderemi (74), who died on Tuesday.

    Fayemi said the late Aderemi played a crucial role in rescuing the state from snowballing into anarchy in 2006.

    He spoke during a condolence visit to the late Aderemi’s family and Oba Olufisan Ajayi, the traditional ruler of Ayetoro-Ekiti, the deceased’s country home.

    Fayemi said the late Aderemi lived a life of service and dedication to the people he represented.

    He said the former speaker defended Ekiti people in October, 2006, when former Governor Ayo Fayose and his deputy were impeached.

    After Fayose’s impeachment, the late Aderemi was the Acting Governor for two days before the then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, declared a state of emergency in Ekiti on October 18.

    Fayemi said the late Aderemi did not play the politics of bitterness, adding that he was committed to serving the people and ensuring development at the grassroots.

    The former speaker was the chairman of the State Education Trust Fund before his death.

    The governor said: “Through trials and travails, he stood in defence of Ekiti people and those of us who worked closely with him. We saw him as a mentor, father and leader of his people. I had been monitoring him since he went to the hospital in October. We were very hopeful on the state of his health.

    “Those of us he left behind have a duty to continue with his philosophy of politics without bitterness; politics of service to his people and Ekiti as a whole. He rescued our state at a most critical point and if he had not offered himself for service, the history of Ekiti would have been written differently. We must not forget that. We must continue to honour his family and the work he did on behalf of our people.”

    Fayemi said the government would work with the family to give the late Aderemi a befitting burial.

    The widow, Madam Rachael Aderemi, thanked the government for supporting her husband when he was ill. She said the gesture showed the government’s concern for the welfare of its workforce.

    Oba Ajayi thanked the governor for the medical attention given to the late Aderemi.

    Also yesterday, Senator Babafemi Ojudu (Ekiti Central) described the late Aderemi as “a patriot, who worked valiantly with other progressives to rescue Ekiti when it was enveloped in darkness”.

    In a statement, Ojudu said: “At a time when many were scared for their lives and did not want to be on the wrong side of the then Governor, Fayose, the late Aderemi cared not for his life or position. He defied the dark powers that made Ekiti State a laughing stock in the world at the time.”

    Ojudu said the late Aderemi’s role in the struggle for Ekiti’s liberation would always be remembered.

    He said: “As a major player in the struggle to free Ekiti from the violent grip of Fayose, I am a witness to the contributions of the late Aderemi and his colleagues in the House of Assembly. The wisdom and adroitness with which he shepherded the members to buy into the struggle is of note. Ekiti will forever be grateful to him for his brave contributions.”

    Ojudu sympathised with the state government and the Aderemi family on the loss of “a true statesman” and prayed to God to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.