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Tag: Fayose

  • ‘President’ Fayose: preposterous and insouciant

    Nigeria is in a preposterous time with shall we say, mainly preposterous people at the helm of affairs pretending  to lead. How did the largest and indeed richest black nation on earth  come to this preposterous  pass. Well, dear reader may well be wondering as well why Hardball  is seemingly preposterously  enamored of this longish adjective? Could it be that he just cottoned on to the word recently and it’s become a faddish accessory to his writing?

    Not by a nit. Not if you understand the matter of the day and the preposterousness of it. Now let’s bite into the issue thus: the word preposterous is an adjective that qualifies a person or thing completely devoid of wisdom or good sense. The word is synonymous with absurdity, irrationality, nonsensicality and foolishness, among other such disagreeable units of language.

    Now you can discern why this word enjoys some level of pre -eminence today: a man who has governed a state for about eight years now  wants to be president of his country. This is a legitimate and rightful desire. But if such a one in governing  his state, was unable to  carry out the most basic function of paying his workers their monthly wages then you would agree dear reader, that it is most preposterous, and an absurdity of the worst kind that such a fellow would  flag off a multi-billion naira presidential campaign.

    Now here is the story: Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State last week initiated  an elaborate campaign to contest for the presidency of Nigeria come 2019. He is of course within his right as noted above, to do so even though we may quarrel with his timing and costs.

    But the real issue however is that Gov. Fayose has been unable to pay his civil servants promptly since he returned for his second term over two years ago. Inability to pay salaries may even be understood or excused but what Hardball cannot stand is Fayose’s insouciance. Broken down, this word means indifference, casual unconcern and nonchalance, among others.

    During a television interview last week, Fayose was challenged about the lapses in the wages of his workers and he had answered that he owed ONLY four months arrears. If you thought that was preposterously insouciant, hear Mr. Ade Adesanmi, chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Ekiti State Chapter: “As we speak, the civil servants are owed five months’ salary arrears; local government workers, eight months salaries; and institutions like College of Education, Ikere, College of Health Technology, Ijero and Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti are owed seven months’ salaries.”

    Nothing more to add to this preposterous situation than to close with these words from a former governor, Orji Uzor Kalu: “In good conscience, if you are a governor collecting N1 billion as security vote (monthly), without paying salary, you are a CRIMINAL.” Emphases Hardball’s.

    On this premise, a “criminal” should never be president abi?

     

  • Ekiti PDP condemns Adeyeye’s silence over arrest of Fayose’s aides

    Ekiti PDP condemns Adeyeye’s silence over arrest of Fayose’s aides

    •Party chief: I can’t carry governor’s cross for him

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has condemned the alleged silence of the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, on the arrest and detention of Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo, and the Accountant General, Mrs. Yemisi Owolabi, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The party claimed that his governorship ambition had made him to abandon his duties.

    Adeyeye fired back, saying: “The PDP as a party abhors corruption and Fayose, at his presidential ambition declaration, promised to fight corruption with much vigour, if elected.”

    In a statement yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, Ekiti PDP Publicity Secretary Jackson Adebayo said: “Adeyeye should purge himself of anger over his failure to secure Governor Ayo Fayose’s support for his governorship ambition.”

    But the Director of Media and Publicity for Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM), Mr. Niyi Ojo, said: “The PDP is greater and larger than any individual or group; anybody who sinned must not force others to carry the cross for him.”

    Ekiti PDP urged Adeyeye to resign and face his governorship ambition “because as it is, the ambition to be governor of Ekiti State is already affecting the performance of his duties to the PDP and its members”.

    It added: “If Adeyeye, whose duty is to defend our party and its members, cannot speak against the unlawful arrest of officials of the PDP government of his home state, just because the governor did not support his governorship ambition, which PDP controlled-state will he now defend?

    “Should we then conclude that Adeyeye has constituted himself to an opposition against the PDP government of Ekiti State, even more than the All Progressives Congress (APC), such that he lost his voice when members of his own party were unlawfully arrested by the EFCC and dumped in detention since Thursday?

    “Condemning or obstructing the law enforcement agencies from carrying out their constitutionally assigned responsibilities is not a veritable opposition.

    “If truly those officials were invited by EFCC, why did they refuse to honour the invitations? Were they also covered by the immunity of the governor?

    “We at PAAM believe that they will be released after interrogation if their hands are clean. Is the Accountant General also a PDP card-carrying member? He who wants to go to equity must go with clean hands.

    “Now, you need Adeyeye to do the Public Relations job for your already battered image. No, it can’t work. You can’t blackmail and intimidate Adeyeye out of office until after the national convention of our great party in December.”

     

  • Fayose owes more than four months arrears – Ekiti workers

    Fayose owes more than four months arrears – Ekiti workers

    Workers in Ekiti State appear set for a showdown with Governor Ayo Fayose over his claim on a television station on  Thursday that his administration is owing only four months arrears of salaries. The governor, was answering questions on the propriety of his presidential ambition when he was owing workers.

    The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Raymond Ade Adesanmi, refuted the governor’s claim. Accoring to him, “Fayose owes various categories of workers under him between five and eight months arrears of salaries. Adesanmi disclosed that Fayose’s claim of owing just only four months arrears is already causing tension and disquiet among the workforce.

    He advised government “to always come out with correct information to douse the raging tension in the system.” Speaking with reporters in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday, Adesanmi said although the workers are still loyal to the government, they won’t tolerate comments about their welfare that could strain the relationship between the workforce and the government.

    Clarifying the level of government’s indebtedness to  workers, Adesanmi said: “The state workers’ benefits are in different categories thus: pension, gratuity, deductions and salary. “As we speak now, the state civil servants are owed  five months salary arrears,  local government, eight months and institutions on subvention, like College of Education Ikere, College of Health Technology Ijero and Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, are owed seven month salary arrears.

    “One cannot but talk about the plight of the pensioners, because one day we will all retire, either on account of age or length of service. As of now, pensioners  are  being owed five months pension arrears while gratuity has not been paid since 2012 when former Governor Kayode Fayemi was in the saddle. Ekiti workers are not oblivious of the economic recession that had depleted the financial strength of many states of the federation, including Ekiti.

    “Let me state that we all owe it a responsibility to contribute to the development of this state, but we need to give out correct and accurate information to the public , so that the government and workers can be on the same page, otherwise there will be friction. I want to appeal to the already restive workers to be patient, particularly those who were ruffled by the information,” he said.

     

  • 2019: Fayose declares bid for PDP presidential ticket in Abuja

    2019: Fayose declares bid for PDP presidential ticket in Abuja

    THE race for the 2019 election began yesterday with Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose  declaring his intention to run for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ticket.

    At his declaration yesterday in Abuja, Fayose called on  politicians interested in the 2019 presidential race to publicly declare their interest without delay.

    The governor vowed to defeat President Muhammadu Buhari, if he decides to seek re-election.

    In apparent reference to the President, Fayose said: “I will defeat this Goliath in the name of God. I am the Nigerian man to watch out for as we get closer to 2019.”

    The governor said he could not see any reason why other aspirants in the race were afraid to make their intention public.

    He also challenged those in the party’s Caretaker Committee wishing to join the race to be bold enough to declare their aspiration.

    Admitting that the PDP has zoned its presidential ticket to the North, Fayose said the party cannot continue to wait for would be aspirants in the North.

    “It may interest you that no one has come out in this manner to show interest and our party should not wait or beg anyone to fly its flag. Do we now say that if no one comes out from the North, the party won’t have a candidate?”, he stated.

    Justifying his aspiration, the governor cited instances in 1999, 2003 and 2007 where aspirants contested for the PDP ticket even when their geopolitical zones were precluded from the zoning arrangements at the time.

    He mentioned the late Abubakar Rimi, Senator Barnabas Gemade and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as some of the politicians that took such decision at various times in the past against their party’s position.

    A former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, who also spoke at the event, described Fayose as courageous, outspoken, indefatigable and fair in his approach to issues in the country.

    He said the governor remained a trusted ally, who cared so much about the downtrodden and who does not support oppression.

    Former Osun State Deputy Governor Senator Iyiola Omisore, who also attended the event, said Fayose has shown himself as a man of courage who can change the state of things in the country for better.

    Others in attendance included former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel, a former PDP National Vice Chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo and others.

    But a member of  PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) , Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, said Fayose cannot contest in the election.

    Nwodo, who spoke in Abuja, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that PDP’s ideology barred the governor and other members from the South from contesting in the presidential race in 2019.

    He said zoning would be followed to the letter in spite of Fayose’s declaration.

    The PDP chieftain said: “Fayose cannot run and I will tell you my reason.

    “When we formed PDP, the first battle we fought and won as a party was to zone the presidency to the South.

    “Those of us from the South made a case because in the First Republic, prime minister was from the North; in the Second Republic, the president was from the North, and in the Third Republic, a southerner won and the election was annulled.

    “There was no way we could go back to the South and say let’s elect a northerner again without giving the South a slot.

    “A decision was taken that the Presidency should come from the South and the chairman of the party to come from the North.

    “That was how Solomon Lar became the chairman of PDP and secretary was zoned to the South; that was how I became the party’s first secretary,” he said.

    Nwodo, a former National Chairman of PDP, said that the party would take a decision to ensure that its Constitution and ordinances were respected.

    He explained that those who tried it in the past failed to achieve their aim.

    “For example, the late Abubakar Rimi, former Governor of Kano State paid for a form and wanted to run.

    “Then I was the national secretary, I returned his cheque and informed him that the party had taken a decision that the presidential candidate could only come from southern Nigeria.

    “When we went to the convention in Jos, he went to the venue and started to campaign without having a form because we didn’t give him.

    “We had to get some party leaders around to go and counsel him; we didn’t want security agencies to manhandle or embarrass him and good counsel prevailed and he stepped down.

    “That was what PDP did and now we did not only zone the presidency to the north, we have re-emphasised at every opportunity we had that the zoning will take place.

    “So, the party will not collect expression of interest money from anybody else, who is not from the North and will not issue him a nomination form to contest; no, we will not do that,” he added.

  • 2019: Fayose to declare presidential ambition tomorrow

    Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose will tomorrow formally declare his intention to vie for the President of Nigeria on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019.

    The event will hold at the Golden Hall of Chelsea Hotel in Abuja at 11 a.m.

    The Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said Fayose, in a letter addressed to PDP leaders, noted that his ambition to be President was without prejudice to the party’s position but in its overall interest and Nigeria.

    The letter reads: “It is with deep sense of responsibility that I write to inform you of my intention to seek the ticket/mandate of our party to contest the 2019 presidential election. Considering your support and commitment towards our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), it becomes imperative to keep you informed and seek your support.

    “This ambition, however, is without prejudice to our party’s position but in the overall interest of the party and our country.

    “I urge that all hands should be on deck to ensure victory in the 2019 presidential election.

    “Accept the assurances of my highest regards as a determined presidential hopeful.”

    On his chances, if fielded by the PDP, Fayose said: “I have penchant for taking powers. That one in President Muhammadu Buhari’s hand, I will take it.

    I’m going straight to that Villa. I’m the next President.”

  • Is This Gov. Fayose’s Youth Sport Development Plan?

    Is This Gov. Fayose’s Youth Sport Development Plan?

    The Special Adviser, Public Communications and New Media at Ekiti State Government of Nigeria, Lere Olayinka on Monday shared about 16 pictures of Governor Ayodele Fayose, playing the ping-pong game, popularly called table tennis, at one of the remote streets in Ado-Ekiti; the state capital.

    The Governor was practically showing his skills as ‘Oba Pako’ in the game, as he could not mind playing with a rickety bat made of plank and robber, on a very funny table which has two containers (Gorodom; as popular called in the local yoruba palance) as base.

    The Governor was practically sweating it out with kids at Ekute Street and he did his best to show his skills in the game on that Sunday Evening.  The Obvious is that Nigerian kids like tennis just like they throng for football and they play it always- if not every evening on week-days or at weekends.

    It will not be inappropriate to say that the Governor also played the game on the street while growing up and it appeared it is hard for him to let go,  inspite of his age, political and socio-economic status.

    Gov. Fayose in action during the table tennis games he played with the kids on Sunday

    As much as a lot of people in Ekiti state and on the social media expressed likeness towards the Fayose’s gesture in identify with the street life and sports despite being the number one citizen in the state, the gesture has however some questions and criticisms.

    “Is there anything wrong if the governor used his office to initiate a state developmental campaign on grassroots sport and table tenni?”

    “I am proud of my Governor,,,, I like his street vibes.,” said another person(Name withheld) in an online post, but he added that “How i wish this Governor can understand that sport is now a big business with many transforming and socio-economic benefits for the state.”

    In another comment somebody said, “Feel the pulse of the youths Mr. Gov and don’t use them to while away of your own time,”

    Governor Fayose while playing the table tennis game with one of the kids on the street

    “Gov. please give youth sport development a priority and you will tame restiveness and checkmate unemployment and attracts renowed sport investors to the state,” said another facebook user.

    Denasohin Simeon Sonayon on his own comment said “All works without play make Jack a dull Boy! I belief he(Fayose) did it at his leisure hour.” And Saheed Adeyeni wrote, “I Just love this man…. So down to the earth.”

    People’s post on the picture also generated some personal comments from journalists in the newsroom.

    “The world would have reckoned more that Nigeria is a hub for sport talents, if only sports in the grassroot could be given the right attention by government and talent hunt stakeholders in Nigeria states,” said a sport journalist who shared view on the picture (Name withheld)

    “Are our leaders truly love their grassroots,,, because it is not by going down on the street to while away your time but by realizing that investing in sport is key for community development.’

    “The Governor is closer to the people, that is his natural self,” said Akintona Akin “but sincerity is key and knowing the right thing to do.”

  • REC: Fayose, APC aspirants risk sanction for billboards

    REC: Fayose, APC aspirants risk sanction for billboards

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose, his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, and some All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirants risk getting penalised for allegedly campaigning ahead of the time stipulated by law for the 2018 election.

    The new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. AbdulGaniy Olayinka Raji, addressed reporters yesterday in his office in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    He spoke after holding a stakeholders’ meeting with leaders of political parties under the auspices of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).

    The REC also said about 221,000 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) had not been collected by eligible voters in the state.

    Raji said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was empowered by law to prosecute politicians who engaged in any form of “early campaign” before the time allowed by law.

    Fayose has erected billboards bearing his pictures and those of his deputy in which he referred to Olusola as “Your Next Governor”.

    Governorship aspirants of other parties also mounted billboards and banners in front of their campaign offices, on the major roads and boundaries of Ekiti with other neighbouring states.

    He noted that the act of erecting campaign billboards before the ban on open campaign is lifted constitutes an electoral offence punishable by fine and jail term if the offender is found guilty.

    Raji also frowned against running of campaign jingles on the electronic media and placing of campaign adverts in the newspapers which he said violate electoral law.

    All these infractions, he said, violates Section 99 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

    Raji said: “All these acts are not in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

    “Activities that look like campaign are against the Constitution and people should desist from them. Media houses should scrutinise jingles and adverts that may implicate them.

    “Any offender convicted is liable to a maximum fine of N500,000 and a jail term at the discretion of the judge. The law also permits INEC to remove such billboards.”

    Raji advised political parties to join hands with INEC to ensure the success of the 2018 governorship poll in Ekiti State.

  • Ekiti poll: PDP’s primary ‘ll shock Fayose, says ex-envoy

    Ekiti poll: PDP’s primary ‘ll shock Fayose, says ex-envoy

    Former Nigeria’s envoy to Canada and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State,  Ambassador Dare Bejide has said the outcome of the primary for next year’s election will shock Governor Ayodele Fayose.

    He maintained that Fayose endorsement of his deputy, Prof  Kolapo Olusola, as the sole candidate would not stand, adding it was an exercise in futility.

    The Pro-Fayose stakeholders have  endorsed Olusola, describing him as the best person to fly the party’s flag among the contenders for the plum seat.

    Addressing his supporters in Ado-Ekiti, Bejide described himself as a  major contender  vowing  to clinch the ticket, despite Olusola’s endorsement by the governor.

    The PDP chieftain said he was neither rattled nor disturbed by Fayose’s conduct since the constitution was unambiguous on how a primary should be conducted, saying the constitutional infraction leading to Olusola’s imposition won’t stand.

    He said: “I have since met with our party leaders pointing them to some possible effects of the illegality committed by the self-acclaimed stakeholders.

    “Firstly, such action negates the constitution of our party and thus misrepresents the PDP Ideology.”

    On whether he would be participating in the primary,  Bejide said: “Check your records, I am the most consistent and outstanding personality among all the contestants in Ekiti,  because I am experienced.

    “I joined other leaders, few of who are still politically active, to build the PDP haven served as the Pioneer Secretary of the party in Ekiti state in 1998. You may wish to ask others if they are unaware of that.

    “I made bold to say that, in the forthcoming primary, the result will shock many people because I will convincingly defeat Fayose, his boy and cronies,” he boasted.

  • Coalition warns Fayose, Ayenimo against alleged service extension

    Coalition warns Fayose, Ayenimo against alleged service extension

    A civil society coalition, Integrity Leadership Group, has warned Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose and a retired Chief Magistrate, Idowu Ayenimo, against an alleged plot to extend Ayenimo’s service.

    It alleged that the governor wants to manipulate Ayenimo’s records to enable him stay longer and continue sitting on the panel probing former Governor Kayode Fayemi.

    In a statement yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, by its State Coordinator, Lekan Oyediran, the group said reports on the alleged service elongation plot for Ayenimo was worrisome because of Fayemi’s suit challenging Ayenimo’s suitability to sit on the panel.

    The group noted that what qualified Ayenimo for the job was his headship of the Magistrates’ Court.

    It said the panel member must vacate the panel after retiring from service.

    The group said: “Chief Magistrate Idowu Ayenimo must vacate the panel, after retiring from the service two weeks ago, because what qualified his membership is the office he was holding at the time of his appointment.

    “Any plot to doctor Ayenimo’s records of service to enable him continue to sit on the panel is illegal and criminal; it will only confirm Fayemi’s allegation that he is Governor Fayose’s mole to nail the former governor, as he alleged in his lawsuit challenging the suitability of Ayemino to be on the panel over alleged partisanship.”

    It warned the State Judicial Service Commission against assisting the governor to achieve his alleged aim of implicating Fayemi in the panel’s report.

    The group urged the Chief Judge, Mr Justice Ayodeji Daramola, to maintain his good records by resisting any pressure to act against the law and civil service rules.

     

  • Fayose has link with IPOB funding, says Ekiti APC

    Fayose has link with IPOB funding, says Ekiti APC

    The Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Governor Ayo Fayose of giving financial and logistics support to Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

    The party urged the nation’s security agencies and the International Police (INTERPOL) to investigate the governor’s alleged support for IPOB, which the Nigerian military high command just declared a terrorist organisation following the seizure of weapons by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) suspected to belong to the group.

    In a statement yesterday by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, Ekiti APC said Fayose “demonstrated the seriousness of his support for the collapse of Nigeria” when the governor released his telephone number and email address on April 27 to those interested in the Biafra cause to contact him.

    According to Olatunbosun, the telephone number and the email address Fayose released to the public for identifying with the Biafra struggle are: 070300000393 and email: mystory2006@yahoo.com.

    He described the governor’s action as a “treasonable act”.

    The party’s spokesman said the governor’s lawyer’s statement at the weekend calling for dialogue to resolve the Biafran crisis is an afterthought.

    He said the Army was only performing its constitutional role of preserving the nation’s unity and bringing secessionists and their backers to justice.

    Olatunbosun said: “On April 26 and as published by The Nigerian Tribune and its Tribuneonline publication on April 27, Fayose said he was working in conjunction with Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu to raise funds for Kanu, stressing that he was taking his support for Kanu beyond showing solidarity in court by raising funds that would be deposited in an account opened in Kanu’s name.”

    He said: “He led a campaign to the Chinese Embassy in Abuja and later to Beijing, the Chinese capital, to urge the Chinese government not to help Nigeria out of recession.

    “Relentlessly, he led hate campaigns against the symbol of the Nigerian authority, President Muhammadu Buhari, wishing him dead, including hounding and haunting the President across the world, on his sick bed and threatening to expose the President on a life-support machine. All these were in spite of (Fayose) swearing to uphold the Constitution of Nigeria and to be loyal to the Nigerian state and its President.

    “As reported in the media on May 25, he said: ‘Ekiti State is now part of Biafra’, which drew the ire of several Yoruba groups…”

    Olatunbosun also quoted Fayose as saying: “We are just driving the cause. As soon as we receive his account details, we will be made available. People have the right to agitate for independence. Even in traditional institution, people agitate for autonomy.

    “As many as lawyers willing to fight the oppression should join the struggle for liberation from the oppression.”

    He added: “All the Southeast governors, including Ekweremadu, have opposed Kanu in his secessionist activities while Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has warned him and IPOB to stay away from Rivers. But Fayose declared Ekiti State as part of Biafra. This has confirmed the report that he is part of Biafra’s financiers as he had publicly declared to the media.

    “No wonder, just four months after Fayose started mobilising funds for Biafra, thousands of deadly weapons, including military assault rifles, were smuggled into the country but were intercepted by Customs. It was also discovered that uniformed Biafran militants already have military training camps where they are planning deadly assaults on Nigeria after threatening its leaders.

    “We had earlier alerted security agencies to the presence of armed gangs and stockpiling of arms in the Ekiti State Government House. Fayose’s present activities at raising funds for Kanu confirm that he is part of a rebellion against the Nigerian state.

    “We have always insisted that Fayose is a threat to Nigeria’s unity and the economic survival of its people.”

    Olatunbosun added: “His support for Kanu in funds mobilisation for his treasonable act and the activities of Fayose’s media men in promoting the Biafran cause only point to one agenda to destabilise Nigeria. That has proved us right that Fayose has no agenda than the destabilisation of Nigeria to enable him escape all illegal and criminal activities linked to him.”

    But Fayose dismissed the allegation of funding IPOB and its leader Nnamdi Kanu.

    Reacting last night while featuring on his monthly radio and television media chat: Meet Your Governor, he said: “The APC is hallucinating” by accusing him of giving financial and logistics support to the separatist group.

    The governor wondered why the state’s opposition was accusing him of sponsoring IPOB while he condemned the alleged killing of its members during what he called a military crackdown and occupation of the Southeast.

    Fayose said: “We cannot all be cowed. The militarisation of Nigeria, being witnessed now, can only be likened to 1984 when Buhari was military Head of State.

    “Killing people in the Southeast just because some people are agitating is wrong. I wonder why none of our so-called human rights activists is talking.