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Tag: Fayose

  • PDP faults APC Ekiti guber primary

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has accused the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi of rigging the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary held last Saturday.

    The party warned Fayemi and APC against contemplating rigging the July 14 governorship poll, saying “Ekiti people must be vigilant to prevent their votes from being stolen”.

    Ekiti PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jackson Adebayo, in a statement yesterday warned that “any attempt to rig the governorship poll may consume the APC and its candidate.”

    Adebayo said Ekiti people abhor the manipulation of the electoral process and would not tolerate any action that would infringe on their inalienable right to choose their leaders in free, fair and credible elections.

    The PDP spokesman sounded a note of warning to anybody who would think of collaborating to scuttle the people’s wish to have a rethink, as such would incur the wrath of the people.

    He said: “APC seems to be unrepentant in taking steps that are very undemocratic. They even failed to learn from the May 8 PDP governorship primary that was widely acclaimed across the country and even beyond.

    “It was rated very credible, free, fair and transparent. Our candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola emerged without any complaint of rigging or manipulations. But the reverse is the case now with the APC primary.

    “The violence that marred the first primary and various drama and theatrics that was witnessed last Saturday are pointers to the fact that the APC has nothing to bank on, except rigging and violence to win elections.

    “The PDP and the people of Ekiti State are battle ready for them, because we are tired of the reign of terror, maiming, killing and unprecedented corruption that were experienced during the Fayemi administration in the state.”

    He called on security agents and the good people of Ekiti State to be vigilant in the build up to the July 14 election, alleging that the APC candidate and his supporters have not hidden their intention to cause mayhem and rigging using ‘federal might’.

     

  • Ekiti 2018: Fayemi should expect worse defeat in July, says Fayose

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has told the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to expect a defeat that will be worse than what he suffered in the 2014 poll.
    Fayose said Fayemi should not celebrate yet over what he described as a “pyrrhic victory” secured at the All Progressives Congress (APC) shadow election on Saturday.
    The governor who reacted to Fayemi’s victory on his Twitter handle thanked the APC “for giving Ekiti people a candidate they love to vote against at all times.”
    He described Fayemi’s victory at the APC primary as a “fire that would be quenched at the July 14 governorship poll.”
    Fayose is backing his protégé, who emerged as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate on May 8, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, to succeed him in office.
    Fayose tweeted: “I thank the APC for giving Ekiti people a candidate they love to vote against at all times.
    “Fayemi should not celebrate this pyrrhic victory yet because it is nothing but a flame that will be quenched on July 14th.
    “He should expect to suffer worse defeat compared to that of 2014.”

  • Let’s join hands and chase out Fayose – Adeyeye

    Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has called on the people of the state to join hands together and chase Governor Ayo Fayose and his protégé, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, out of the state at the July 14 governorship election.

    The former Minister of State for Works said the latest information from the Debt Management Office (DMO) revealed that Fayose borrowed N57 billion since returning to office in October 2014.

    Adeyeye, who spoke Thursday evening while featuring on a programme on Voice 89.9 FM, disclosed that the PDP national leadership offered him the privilege of nominating the deputy governorship candidate and a senatorial ticket for himself to keep him in the party.

    The former minister quit the PDP earlier in the day and accused the governor of intimidating delegates that voted at Tuesday’s PDP governorship primary which he lost to Olusola.

    He vowed to contest the governorship election on the platform of another party to be unveiled before the May 15 close of candidates’ nomination as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

     

  • Fayose accuses apc of plotting to disrupt pdp primary

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of plotting to disrupt the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary scheduled for tomorrow.

    Fayose, in a statement he personally signed yesterday, alleged that the APC is planning to sponsor thugs to cause a mayhem during the exercise.

    He accused the APC of turning the state into war zone by the way and manner the party conducted its primary on Saturday.

    Fayose said: “The APC is plotting to sponsor thugs to disrupt the PDP primary election scheduled for Tuesday, May 8, 2018 so as to create the impression that violent is common to all political parties.

    “I therefore, call on security agencies to act decisively to nip this sinister plan in the bud. The police should not shy away from its responsibilities. Ekiti was adjudged by the police as the most peaceful State in Nigeria, it must remain so.

    “In the last three years, our State has been peaceful and never witnessed any sponsored political violence or killing until this APC’s desperation sets in.

    “I also call on Nigerians, as well as the international community should focus their attention on Ekiti State from now on.  Ekiti people must be allowed to choose their next governor under a free and fair atmosphere.”

    The APC Chairman, Chief Olajide Awe, described Fayose’s allegation as laughable, warning the governor against meddling in the party’s internal affairs.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • We’re hungry, labour leader tells Fayose

    •Governor promotes 40,000 workers

    MAJORITY of workers in Ekiti State shunned yesterday  the May Day rally at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado-Ekiti, the capital.

    The boycott was over the arrears of salaries owed them by the government.

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Chairman, Comrade Ade Adesanmi, delivered the message of the workers to Governor Ayo Fayose: The workers, he said, were hungry.

    He urged Fayose to pay the salaries arrears.

    The NLC chief demanded the payment of gratuities and pensions of retirees, many of whom he said were suffering.

    Adesanmi said: “Your Excellency, the state of welfare of workers in Ekiti State is begging for an urgent action.

    “I need not to tell you that workers are hungry, it is clearly written on the faces of all workers and this is negatively affecting our productivity and input both at home and in the office.

    “The aftermath effect of which has been extended to our children and other dependants like our aged parents.

    “It is pertinent to note that for state workers, their salaries between December 2017 and April 2018 is outstanding (five months). For workers in our subvented institutions, the last salary that was paid was October 2017 (six months).

    “The situation of workers in at the local government needs declaration of state of emergency; one wonders how they live up to their expectation as parents.

    “The last salary collected by them was August 2017 (eight months outstanding).”

    Fayose, however, assured that the outstanding salaries would be paid, saying: “Up to the last day of my departure, your interests will be protected.

    “I will not be a debtor of salaries, with God, all things are possible. I will not leave here a debtor of salaries.”

    Fayose at the occasion announced the clearance of the arrears of promotions for 2015, 2016 and 2017. A total of 40,100 workers benefited from the exercise.

     

  • Monarchs meet Fayose, want Ekiti South to produce governor

    Traditional rulers in Ekiti State on Saturday urged political parties in the state to pick their candidates from Ekiti South Senatorial District ahead of the July 14 governorship election in the state.

    Ekiti South has not produced the governor since the state was created in 1996.

    Warning political parties to take their warning seriously, the monarchs said they would mobilise their people to vote against any political party that ignore their request at the election proper.

    Rising from an emergency meeting held with Governor Ayo Fayose on Saturday, the Obas vowed to mobilize their subjects to vote against any party that picks its candidate outside Ekiti South.

    The Elemure of Emure Ekiti, Oba Emmanuel Adebowale Adebayo, who spoke on behalf of the royal fathers, said their position was in the interest of justice, equity and fair play.

    He said: “We should have a candidate who should emerge from the south irrespective of political party. That will show fairness. Where a particular area is not considered in the scheme of things, that will amount to marginalisation.”

    The Ologotun of Ogotun Ekiti, Oba Samuel Oladapo Oyebade, said the people of the south had waited for too long to occupy the state number one political seat.

    “We are part of Ekiti State. Any candidate from Ekiti South should be supported,” he said.

     

     

  • Fayose, Obanikoro, Omisore lose N2.273b assets

    THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered property and cash worth N2.273 billion from Governor Ayodele Fayose, ex-Deputy Governor Iyiola Omisore and a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, out of the N4.685 billion allocated to them by the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA).

    The said cash, which was sourced from the $2.1 billion voted for arms procurement, was meant for the 2014 governorship campaign by Fayose and Omisore on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The trial of Omisore by EFCC is expected to begin any moment from now because charges have been preferred and filed against him.

    The EFCC is awaiting a date from the court for the arraignment of Omisore, who might be re-arrested.

    But the prosecution of Fayose is withheld till after the completion of his tenure and immediately he hands over to the next governor of the state.

    But Obanikoro, who was allegedly the courier of the fund to Fayose and Omisore, was still being investigated by detectives following more cases he was allegedly linked with.

    A fact-sheet obtained from the EFCC revealed that out of the N4.685 billion, detectives traced N2.0030 billion to Omisore; N685 million to Obanikoro and N1.3 billion and $5.377 million (at the exchange rate of N168 to $1) to Fayose.

    The document said: “The N4.685 billion was disbursed by ONSA through a company, Sylvan McNamara Limited, which was submitted by Obanikoro for onward transfer to Fayose and Omisore for their gubernatorial election in 2014 on the platform of the PDP.

    “Out of the sum, Omisore got N1.7 billion and additional N330 million was given to him through his company, Fimex Guilt Limited, bringing his campaign slush cash to N2.0030 billion.

    “From his share, Omisore has paid back N350 million. Although he pleaded for more time, EFCC is expecting the balance from him.”

    The fact-sheet stated that charges have been preferred against Omisore.

    The document gave the details of how arms cash was allocated to Fayose and the retention of N685 million by Obanikoro.

    It said: On his part, Fayose was allocated N1.3 billion and $5.377 million (at the exchange rate of N168. The $5,377,000 was handed over in cash by Obanikoro to Fayose while the N1.3 billion was received by Fayose’s associate, Mr. Abiodun Agbele, in the presence of the ex-Minister’s Aide-de-Camp, who also accompanied them to the bank along with bank officials.

    “From the $5 million, Fayose gave his Personal Assistant, Agbele about $1million, which he exchanged to Naira and paid for properties on behalf of the governor. Detectives suspected that Fayose added more of the N1.3 billion cash to what he gave Agbele to buy the affected assets.

    “The properties worth N1.8 billion purchased with the said proceeds of crime have been recovered from Fayose and his sister, Moji Ladeji.

    “These assets include four in Lagos (N1.1 billion) and two in Abuja worth about N500 million to N700 million.

    “But Fayose has been claiming that he used his company, Spotless to obtain a loan of N120 million from Zenith Bank as part of what he used to buy one of the properties in Abuja. We are already tracking how he disbursed the N1.3 billion.

    “A prima facie case has been established against Fayose but he is enjoying immunity from prosecution as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution. He will, however, face trial as soon as he hands over power to his successor.

    “But the associate of the governor, Abiodun Agbele, has been charged to court accordingly.”

    Regarding the investigation of Obanikoro, the fact-sheet indicated that “the ex-minister retained N685 million out of the N4.685 billion given to him by ONSA.

    “A sum of N123 million has been recovered from Obanikoro, who claimed he was only asked to deliver the cash to both Fayose and Omisore for their gubernatorial campaign.

    “The ex-minister is still under investigation following some cases allegedly still linked with him.”

     

    •Judges nullify victory at high court

    THE Court of Appeal yesterday ordered two accounts of Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose domiciled with the Zenith Bank to be frozen.

    The court gave the order having been convinced by the argument of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that they were used to keep proceeds of crime.

    The three-man panel, led Justice Joseph Shagbaor Ikyegh, allowed the EFCC appeal and upturned the judgment of the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti, which was delivered about one year and four months ago.

    Other members of the panel are Justice Boloukurumo Moses Ugo and Justice Mohammed Mustapha.

    The judgment of the lower court, which unblocked the governor’s two accounts, was delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo on December 13, 2016.

    Fayose withdrew N5 million from one of the accounts immediately and transferred the sum of N75 to his lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN).

    Dissatisfied with the Ado-Ekiti Federal High Court’s verdict, the EFCC filed an appeal at the appellate court on three grounds.

    The anti-graft agency contended that the immunity enjoyed by the governor did not preclude his account from being frozen.

    The Appeal Court allowed the appeal and held that Fayose’s accounts, which were unblocked by the Federal High Court, be frozen.

    The court delivered the judgment upon reading the record of the appeal and after hearing EFCC’s counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, Fayose’s counsel, Mike Ozekhome and Zenith Bank’s counsel, Mr. Oluwasegun Ayinde.

    Justice Ikyegh ordered “that the appeal is meritorious and, having resolved all three issues agitated in the appeal in appellant’s (EFCC’s) favour.

    “That the appeal is hereby allowed; that the judgment delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Ekiti Judicial Division, on the 13th day of December, 2016, granting the claims of the 1st respondent in Suit No: FHC/AD/CS/27/2016 is hereby set aside.”

    The two accounts had earlier been frozen by Justice Mohammed Shuaibu of Federal High Court, Lagos in an ex-parte motion brought by the EFCC.

     

     

  • Fayose will go to jail after tenure – Fayemi

    • Gov borrowed N56bn in four years

    Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, yesterday vowed to jail Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, if reelected.

    He spoke during the declaration of intent to contest for Ekiti State governorship seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Fayose, he stated, will be made to account for the gross mismanagement of the state’s resources and allocation in the last four years.

    Fayemi, who was governor between October 2010 and October 2014, shocked the crowd by bringing out a red card from his pocket which he symbolically showed to Fayose and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    He said the red card is an answer to the White Paper issued against him by the Fayose regime which indicted him of financial impropriety and banned him from holding public office for ten years.

    Traffic was grounded for about four hours in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, where a massive crow turned out to hear Fayemi speak on his readiness to win Ekiti for APC in the July 14 governorship poll.

    Fayemi said the state has retrogressed sharply in the last four years he left office saying his bid to run again was motivated by the need to “rescue Ekiti people from bad governance, want, hunger and poverty.”

    He lamented the suffering of teachers, state civil servants, local government workers, and pensioners who are being owed backlog of arrears of salaries, allowances and benefits.

    According to him, Fayose owes core civil servants six months, local government workers ten months, community health workers ten months; pensioners, ten months; teachers, ten months and students, bursaries of over three years.

    Fayemi said Governor Ayo Fayose has no excuse not to pay workers’ salaries and pensioners benefits having collected two tranches of bailout funds, two tranches of Paris Club refund cash and Budget Support Funds for thirteen months.

    He also disclosed that latest records from the Debt Management Office (DMO) showed Fayose has borrowed N56 billion since coming to power in October 2014 with nothing appreciable to show for it.

    Fayemi vowed that Fayose would be brought to justice at the end of his tenure on how he has managed all the funds received from the federal government on behalf of the state.

    The former governor was joined by his wife, Bisi; former deputy governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; Nigeria’s Ambassador to Hungary, Dr. Eniola Ajayi and other officials who served in his administration to the APC secretariat where he officially informed party leaders of his intent to run.

    After declaring at the secretariat, Fayemi and his train moved to the nearby Jonathan African Church Ajilosun, Ado-Ekiti where he addressed another crowd waiting for him on his agenda for the state.

    He said all APC members who had joined the governorship race are eminently qualified to occupy the state’s number one seat saying anyone who emerges as the flag bearer would be supported by all.

    The minister declared that everything humanly, constitutionally and legally possible would be done to win Ekiti State for APC at the next governorship election.

    Fayemi said: “When I come before you, it is with profound need for the unfinished business, we need to complete what we started, reclaim our land and restore our land.

    “Anywhere Ekiti people go, people subject us to questions that what is wrong with you Ekiti people?

    “We thought you are educated, we thought you are exposed, how do you come up with a character like this as governor?

    “It is time to put a stop to that; it is not about title, it is about sacrifice and whatever it will take us to free Ekiti from these criminal and rapacious brigands, we will do it.

    “We are here to inform Ekiti people that we will never abandon them. We will never hesitate to leave the comfort of Abuja. It is high time to come home and help our vulnerable people.”

    He added: “We will do everything that is required to win Ekiti back. They will accuse us of using federal might.

    “Although power belongs to God and he gives it to whoever He wishes, we will use bottom power, middle power. That is why they are jittery.”

    He described the White Paper of the Fayose administration which

    indicted him of financial impropriety and recommended him for a ten-year ban from holding public office as an “ordinary tissue paper.”

    The minister said: “Every time I move around, I see the suffering and penury our people are going through. I saw their pain and pangs of not knowing where the next meal will come from.

    “That is why we must tell the man who is shouting around that he has a White Paper, we have a red card for him and his party. We will ensure that he will end up in jail.”

     

    Fayemi described Fayose as a “pathological liar” for claiming that the debt he (Fayemi) left behind was responsible for his (Fayose’s)

    inability to pay workers’ salaries and pensioners benefits as and when due.

     

    The ex-governor explained that he took a N25 billion bond from the Capital Market in December 2011 with which he executed capital projects adding that he had repaid N14.5 billion at the time he left office in October 2014.

    Dismissing the opposition’s claim that he hates workers and teachers, Fayemi stressed that workers enjoyed most during his administration when they enjoyed salary increase three times.

    Apart from this, he said workers were sponsored to local and overseas seminars, teachers got Core Subjects Allowance, Rural Teachers Allowance and no worker was sacked.

    To party members, Fayemi said: “Whoever wins the primary, we will all support him. Don’t run down any aspirant. Let us desist from hate speech because all aspirants are promoting our party.

    “Party members should not use abusive and intemperate language and I want to suggest to our party leaders to come out with a code of conduct to check this.

    “If we don’t do that, we run the risk of damaging our brand (APC). You are free to market your aspirant and leave the judgment to our delegates.

    “They (delegates) want our party back in power and we must respect their judgment. Any aspirant who does not respect the rule, I will take him as an agent who does not want the good of our party.

     

     

  • Adeyeye: Fayose is intimidating aspirants

    An aspirant in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Ekiti State governorship election, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has accused Governor Ayo Fayose of intimidating and harassing other aspirants.

    Adeyeye, who was at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja to submit his nomination documents, said the governor was making the contest tough for aspirants other than his anointed candidate, Deputy Governor Olusola Eleka.

    “Fayose said last September that he had already chosen a governorship candidate for the party. Even the so- called candidate said everything was over. We laughed and said that’s not possible.

    “This party has a constitution and we believe that we should follow the constitution. There are processes through which candidates are chosen,” he said.

    Admitting that the governor had a right to support any aspirant, Adeyeye said Fayose’s insistence on foisting his anointed candidate on the party had created an atmosphere of fear in the state.

    “Many party members are so afraid to associate themselves with other aspirants, besides the one anointed by the governor. But we are not bothered about this. We are still confident that we will win.

    “This is not the right time to contest for governorship in any state, where the entire body of the party has been deployed against you. You are being intimidated and harassed on a daily basis just for no other reason than they are supporting you. All we ask for is a free and fair election and security for everybody participating in the election,” he said.

    The aspirant expressed satisfaction about the processes that would lead to the emergence of the PDP candidate, saying the national leadership had done its home-work.

    He said: “The modalities put in place by the party leadership will enhance transparency in the governorship primaries and discourage rigging.”

    Adeyeye described his chances in the race as very bright, saying with the leadership of the party in charge of the process, he was sure the party would be just and fair to all aspirants.

    The former minister of State for Works and ex-spokesman for PDP said a free and fair primary election would brighten the party’s chances at the poll.

    He vowed never to leave PDP, no matter the outcome of the primaries.

    The National Organising Secretary of PDP, Col. Austin Akobundu (retd), who was on hand to receive Adeyeye’s nomination documents, urged the aspirant and his supporters to adhere to the party’s guidelines and play by the rules.

  • Ekiti poll: Fayose intimidating aspirants – Adeyeye

    An aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Ekiti State governorship election, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has accused Governor Ayo Fayose of intimidating and harassing other aspirants in the race.

    Adeyeye, who was at the Abuja national secretariat of the party to submit his nomination documents, said the governor was making the contest tough for aspirants other than his anointed candidate, Olusola Eleka, who is also the deputy governor of the state.

    “The Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, in September last year, said he had already chosen his governorship candidate for the party. Even the so called candidate said everything was over. We laughed and said that’s not possible.

    “This party has a constitution and we believe that we should follow the constitution of the party. There are processes in which candidates are chosen,” Adeyeye said.

    Admitting that the governor has the right to support any aspirant of his choice, Adeyeye said Fayose’s insistence on foisting his anointed candidate on the party has created an atmosphere of fear in the state.

    “This has created an atmosphere of fear in the state as we speak. So many party members are so afraid to associate themselves with other aspirants apart from the one anointed by the governor. But we are not bothered about all this. We are still confident that we are going to win.

    “This is not the right time to contest for governorship in any state, where the entire body of the party has been deployed against you. You are being intimidated and harassed on a daily basis just for no other reason that they are supporting you. All we ask for is a free and fair election and total security for everybody coming to participate in the election,” he said.