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Tag: Fayose

  • Fayose bars Olukere from wearing crown

    Fayose bars Olukere from wearing crown

    •Governor accuses reporters of bias

    Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has barred the Olukere of Ikere-Ekiti, Oba Ganiyu Obasoyin, from wearing a crown.

    Fayose accused the media of complicity in the supremacy battle between the Olukere and the Ogoga, Oba Adejimi Adu.

    The governor accused reporters of supporting the Olukere in his quest to regain  official recognition for his stool.

    This was withdrawn in 1989 when the then military government stopped the payment of his monthly stipends.

    Fayose made the allegation when he hosted the Ogoga and his chiefs who visited him at the Governor’s Office.

    The governor maintained that “the Olukere is not an Oba”.

    “I’m warning you reporters to stop referring to him as a monarch, he is an ordinary chief.”

    According to him, “Olukere, as a chief priest, should stop parading himself as a king, having not got a staff of office, a symbol of recognition from the government”.

    Fayose said:  “This nonsense must stop. You cannot come here dressed like an oba or go to the Assembly and dress like an oba.

    “And these media people are backing him. How can you be referring to an ordinary chief as an oba? The monarch, which monarch?

    “Did you give him the staff of office? Where did you get your monarch? The reporters in this state should be charged to court. We should charge the press to court for sheer misappropriation.

    “You should stop all these nonsense and stop causing problems in the state. If Olukere believes he wants to be oba. Let him follow due process. With the way he has started, I think it is an uphill task.

    “For me, the issues in Ikere, about the obaship tussle are very clear, I’m not saying this because you are here or your chiefs are here. There are no two obas in Ikere, there is only one oba and the oba is Ogoga. I only recognise the Ogoga of Ikere.”

    Oba Adu dispelled insinuations that he bribed Fayose with N20 million to win the Ogoga stool.

  • Fayose’s ally defects to APC, says governor’s dictatorship has destroyed Ekiti

    Fayose’s ally defects to APC, says governor’s dictatorship has destroyed Ekiti

    An ally of Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Pastor Yemi Olayinka, has defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Olayinka who joined the APC at Ado Ekiti Ward 8 Thursday evening said Ekiti is now reeling under a one-man dictatorship which has made governance to grind to a halt and inflicted hardship on the masses through “anti-people policies.”

    Speaking with reporters shortly after being admitted into his new party (APC), Olayinka described PDP as a “dead party that is already waiting for its final funeral” owing to the alleged autocratic leadership style of Fayose.

    The former Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Matters accused Fayose of deceiving voters in the run-up to the June 21, 2014 governorship election by claiming that he (Fayose) has changed noting that “Ekiti people have now realized that a leopard cannot change its spot.”

    Olayinka was received into the party by Acting State Chairman of APC, Mrs. Kemisola Olaleye, ward and local government executives of the party.

    According to him, the governor’s leadership style has forced prominent members of the PDP including foundation members to leave the party and portrayed it in bad light before the people of the state.

    Olayinka said: “I love PDP so well that I decided that come rain, come sunshine, I will never defect to APC. But when Fayose came, he hijacked the party. He is the State Working Committee, the Commissioners, the Assembly members, to the extent that nobody could have a say.

    “He has forgotten so soon that during his misadventure to Labour Party, some of us stayed back in the PDP and prevented it from total collapse. If PDP had died before he came, would he have won the governorship ticket? Today, Fayose has succeeded in killing the party in Ekiti .

    “I can’t afford to stay in a party that is being controlled by a power-greedy individual. I am a team player and I believe in the ethos of democracy, so we are leaving the PDP for Fayose all alone”.

    Olayinka promised to work for the unity of APC at ward, local government and state levels also pledged to work hard to ensure that his new party bounces back to power at the next governorship poll.

    Speaking at the ceremony, Mrs. Olaleye said party members need unity more than ever before to deliver Ekiti people from alleged misrule and dictatorship of the PDP-led administration.

    She said the door of the party is open to new members who are willing to join urging party’s old members not to discriminate against those coming into the party. She said that new members will enjoy same privilege as old members.

    She said: “As much as our doors are open to whoever wants to join us, we will

    also be mindful by screening whoever signifies intention, so that we won’t allow an anarchist into our midst.

    “You can see that there is no disunity or groupings again in APC, all of us are now under one big umbrella called APC.”

    Meanwhile, Fayose has threatened to shut down the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE) over alleged failure of the authorities to remit taxes due to the state government.

    Fayose handed down the warning while playing host to the new FUOYE Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kayode Soremekun, in his office on Thursday in Ado Ekiti.

    Fayose maintained that payment of taxes is important and should be respected by the school without which it would face the consequences.

    Earlier in his remarks, Prof Soremekun  pleaded with Fayose to show understanding because FUOYE was already remitting 50 percent of the taxes accruing to the Ekiti State government.

    “I think it is fair compare with what obtain in other institutions like ours across the country. We therefore seek the understanding of our governor on this issue.

  • APC faults Fayose’s claim on N210m monthly streetlight fuel

    APC faults Fayose’s claim on N210m monthly streetlight fuel

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has faulted Governor Ayo Fayose’s claim that his administration spends N210 million monthly on diesel to power Ado-Ekiti streetlights.

    The party insisted that documentary evidence has established that the actual amount spent on diesel is N1.3 million.

    In a statement yesterday, the APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, regretted that despite Fayose’s claim of spending N210 million monthly, nocturnal crimes have increased in the state capital.

    Olatunbosun attributed the alleged upsurge in crimes to the short period of light supply from 7pm to 10pm.

    He claimed that cases of car snatching have increased while residents lose their possessions to thieves at night.

    Olatunbosun said: “Ekiti people cannot continue in this reversal of fortune since Fayose came on board.

    “The governor said sometime ago during his monthly media chat that he spends N210million monthly on streetlights.

    “This is a lie because diesel suppliers have since revealed that only 10,000 litres of diesel are supplied monthly to power streetlights.”

    Accusing the governor of deceiving the public and passing over-bloated fuel supply cost to the government, Olatunbosun said the party had since discovered that three suppliers of diesel jointly supply 10,000 litres monthly.

    He added that even at that, the governor still owe the suppliers millions of naira, even though he insists he pays N210million monthly.

    Describing Fayose’s claim as “callous” for a governor who claimed to be friend of the masses, the party’s spokesman said it had been confirmed that fuel supply cost per day totalled only N43,000  as against the N7million being claimed by the governor.

    Quoting another source, Olatunbosun explained: “Only 10,000 litres are supplied monthly to power the streetlights in Ado-Ekiti.

    “A litre is N130 meaning N1.3million is spent on diesel every month.

    The party’s spokesman urged the governor to be transparent in his financial dealings and stop passing “over-bloated bills” to the government.

  • Fayose needs self-criticism

    I am Ayo Fayose. If you hit me, you hit trouble; if I hit you, you will be in trouble.”  That was Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose bragging during a February 27 victory celebration by the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Liberation Stadium in Port Harcourt. His choice of words, “If you hit me, you hit trouble”, suggests that he is intolerant of criticism.

    Interestingly, he sees nothing contradictory in criticising others, even when his criticisms are evidently politically motivated. His response to those who criticise him for his usually unreasonable criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration: “My criticisms are to help the people enjoy dividends of democracy.” Fayose’s reaction came during the March 1 inauguration of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital. Fayose added: “If nobody is talking because of fear, you will have a dictator in every leader.”

    Perhaps this explains why Fayose is behaving like a dictator in Ekiti State. When in December last year the All Progressives Congress (APC) opposition in the state criticised him for wearing a pair of Jeans trousers and a T-shirt to the House of Assembly to present the Appropriation Bill, the House Committee Chairman on Information, Gboyega Aribisogan, reportedly wondered: “And what has what Governor Fayose wears got to do with governance?”

    Also, when Fayose was criticised for reportedly grabbing the gavel and employing it to “pass” the budget he presented into law, which was an undemocratic absurdity, Aribisogan was quoted as saying: “Is it our fault that the APC does not have a member in the House of Assembly? … The reality that those in the APC must face is that if they are waiting for us to confront Governor Fayose on issues of governance, they will wait till eternity.”

    Now, let’s go back to the JSC event, where Fayose said: “What gives birth to dictatorial governance is lack of consistent and constructive criticism of public officers.” It is unsurprising that Fayose continues to demonstrate “dictatorial governance” in Ekiti State, given the hero worship by men of straw. He needs to practise what he preaches by doing some self-criticism.

  • Fayose and fellow travellers

    SIR: When relics of uncivilized, primitive and medieval men who are not fit for the consumption of the modern man are elevated to positions of authority, the people bear the brunt. Today, relics of barbarism have found their way into our nation’s political space. They include but not limited to PDP disabled remnants who fraudulently got into office using wide spread rigging and violence and recently, Supreme Court electoral violators’ beneficiaries. They have sacrificed good governance at the altar of propaganda.

    While other governors are busy squeezing water out of the rocks to ensure they meet up with the burden of expectations of their people, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike are more at home with controversies.

    Fayose whose proclivity for gaffe knows no bounds has taken it as a duty to harangue and discredit every policy of the ruling government.

    The case of Wike is very pathetic! It’s been 10 months since he was sworn in as governor of Rivers State after proven cases of widespread rigging and violence which the Supreme Court recently proved otherwise, he is yet to make any meaningful impact in the state. Wike is yet to differentiate between violence and the acts of governance; ever since his victory at the apex court, Rivers State has known no peace; thuggery, militancy and armed robbery have taken up permanent residence in the garden city.

    Those who have done little or nothing to alleviate the sufferings in their states should not be in the leading position in firing bullets of unjust criticisms to the APC-led federal government.

    If it were in saner climes, the damning report by the United Nations Children’s Fund and the European Union that indicted Ekiti State (the fountain of knowledge) as the state with the highest number of residents, among Nigerian states, who defecate openly, is enough for a responsible and responsive governor to abdicate his seat but not for Fayose. While other states are busy investing massively in infrastructure and placing their states on world tourism map, their Ekiti State counterpart, while neglecting basic amenities in his state, is directly investing in open defecation. He does not give an iota of damn over such embarrassing report.

    Rather, he has found delectation in using Mr. President as his daily subject of contemptuous criticism, taking analgesic for any journey the President embarks upon. That is the only way he can advertise his terrifying ignorance and remain relevant in progressive politics.

    The best time to tell our resurgent opposition governors the harmful truth is now. The recent description of the duo of Fayose and Wike as “apostles of banditry” by APC, Rivers State chapter, has validated this quote by Thomas Man, “A harmful truth is better than a useful lie”.

    Fayose and his fellow travellers should be at home with the harmful truth; it will go a long way in freeing them from executive vacuity while facing the business of governance- major reason why they were elected.

     

    • Joe Onwukeme

    unjoeratedjoe@yahoo.com

  • Re: Fayose insults our intelligence

    SIR: The above insightful title published in The Nation Newspaper’s commentary section on March 2, authored by First Baba Isa refers.

    The author rightfully perceived the wild Islamic agenda imputed by the governor against the president on account of the latter’s visit to Saudi Arabia as an attempt to insult the collective intelligence of Nigerians.

    Isa in explaining the reason for Fayose’s popularity with the illiterates exposed the crass ignoramus mindset of Ekiti chief executive.

    Apart from the fact that Fayose and his army of small minds lack the working understanding of section 10 of 1999 constitution, a disgraceful vacuity to be exhibited by any individual presiding over the affair of a state like Ekiti, the conspiracy of silence and the venal indulgence of Fayose’s opprobrium by elites of Ekiti extraction befuddles the mind.

    It is also instructive to note that Fayose is not alone in this voyage of tomfoolery, other PDP governors, either for reasons that border on political mischief or lack of appreciation of constitutional provision, seem to be enamoured of the governor’s naivety.

    One cannot but agree with the author that Fayose’s uncharitable expletives aimed at the person of the president does more harm to the psyche of the intelligent Nigerian than his misguided diabolical annihilation of the presidency.

    Ekiti State is the ultimate loser in this unnecessary war of attrition declared by their governor. For instance owing to the governor’s cluelessness and lack of creativity, the state is in dire need of further financial bailout and with the governor’s refusal to embrace Treasury Single Account and other CBN’s innovative anti-graft tools, he has unwittingly shot the window against his state.

     

    • Bukola Ajisola,

    Victoria Island, Lagos.

     

  • Fayose: I won’t stop criticising Buhari

    Fayose: I won’t stop criticising Buhari

    •Governor denies rift with CJ

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has said he would not stop criticising President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Reacting to views that his criticisms of the President are getting too embarrassing, Fayose said “what gives birth to dictatorial governance is lack of consistent and constructive criticisms of public office holders”.

    “My criticising Buhari is to help the people have dividends of democracy. If nobody is talking because they are afraid, you will have a dictator in every leader. It is to keep people on their toes for the love of everybody.”

    Fayose spoke at the inauguration of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    He denied a rift with the Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, describing those peddling the rumour as “mischievous”.

    Fayose said individuals hoping to reap from the purported feud would be very disappointed.

    The JSC is chaired by Daramola. Others members are Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Owoseni Ajayi; former General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dele Adesina (SAN), Babatunde Adeoye, Tope Daramola and Justin Ogunseyin.

    There were speculations that Fayose had plans to remove Daramola because of his perceived uncompromising stance on matters relating to the independence of Judiciary.

    The CJ presided over a libel case filed by Fayose against THE NEWS during the governor’s first stint in power which he (Daramola) handled dispassionately despite the plaintiff as the state’s number one citizen.

    Shortly after swearing in new JSC members, Fayose described Justice Daramola as a judicial officer who knows his onions and whose priority was the dispensation of justice without fear or favour.

    Fayose said: “Ekiti State is my project and its interest comes first. There is no ill-feeling between the Chief Judge and I. We are both passionate about Ekiti as our project.

    “Those going round town with the rumour that there is a cold war between us are only mischievous. Let them know that they are disappointed already.

    The governor said who described the JSC officials as men of integrity saying it took him time to constitute the board because he was scouting for those who will not pervert justice.

  • APC condemns Fayose’s rant against Buhari

    APC condemns Fayose’s rant against Buhari

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has condemnedGovernor Ayo Fayose’s allegation that President Muhammadu Buhari harbours an agenda to “islamise” Nigeria.

    Fayose reportedly made the statement in Port Harcourt on Friday at a service to mark Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike’s Supreme Court victory.

    The APC in a statement yesterday by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, described Fayose’s latest attack on Buhari as “a disgraceful conduct intended to sway public sympathy in his favour”.

    The party said the governor’s public conduct “has made Ekiti people a laughing stock among decent people and has put the state at the receiving end of Nigerians’ evaluation of Ekiti people’s character”.

    Olatunbosun said Fayose’s tirades could be traced to a deliberate scheme to set Nigerians against the President.

    He said Fayose had a reason for appointing himself opposition leader “even when reasonable people know that he is the least qualified for that role based on his uninspiring antecedents”.

    The  APC spokesman said the President has been fair to adherents of other religions.

    “If anyone is guilty of religious bigotry, it is Fayose who did not deem it fit to consider Muslims for appointments in his administration,” Olatunbosun said.

    He urged the governor to apply himself to the new spirit of a New Nigeria, where Nigerians live in religious and political harmony.

    “We have always raised the alarm that Fayose is dangerous and a threat to the law.

    “We advise Nigerians to see him as a rabble rouser bent on sabotaging our unity for his private comfort.”

  • Fayose sacks TUC boss over bailout controversy

    Fayose sacks TUC boss over bailout controversy

    •Labour leader to challenge action
    •Govt: He was axed for partisanship

    The court-validated chairman of Ekiti Trade Union Congress (TUC), Raphael Olaiya has been compulsorily retired from the civil service over his comment on receipt of the bailout funds by Governor Ayo Fayose’s administration.

    Olaiya, whose ‘compulsory retirement’ took effect from 22nd February 2016, was also demoted from the rank of Principal Legal Officer Grade Level 12 to the post of State Council Grade Level 10.

    Government’s decisions were conveyed via a letter from the Civil Service Commission by T.G. Adejumo on behalf of the Secretary, a copy of which was exclusively obtained by our correspondent.

    The TUC boss, who is due for retirement in March 2017, was accused by the state government of involvement in partisan politics.

    The government alleged he “openly canvassed for a political party and its candidate during the 2014 governorship election,” an allegation Olaiya vehemently denies.

    The state government set up an Administrative Panel, where Olaiya appeared and defended himself against the allegation.

    The panel found him guilty of violating Chapter 3, Section 4, Rule 030424 of Public Service Rules 2014.

    The immediate cause of Olaiya’s travail was an interview he granted print and electronic media last October, where he revealed the state government had received N9.6 billion as its share of the bailout funds.

    But the government denied receipt at that time.

    Olaiya had warned against diversion of the bailout funds, which he insisted must be used for the purposes it was intended.

    He had won three cases in judgments delivered by the National Industrial Court, Akure Division, which affirmed him as the authentic TUC Chairman in Ekiti.

    But the Fayose administration has recognised Odunayo Adesoye, an ex-officio under Olaiya as a factional chairman.

    In an exclusive chat with The Nation in Ado Ekiti yesterday, Olaiya described his compulsory retirement and demotion as “victimisation of the highest order”.

    He vowed that the punishment won’t stop him from fighting the cause of workers.

    He alleged receiving anonymous phone calls and text messages threatening to kidnap and kill him but vowed never to succumb to intimidation from any quarters.

    Olaiya maintained that by virtue of the court verdicts, he remains the authentic Chairman of TUC in Ekiti and accused the Fayose administration of flouting court orders.

    Describing the government allegation that he was involved in partisan politics as “spurious, vexatious, oppressive and frivolous”, Olaiya said the panel set up to try him failed to prove the allegation. He said: “I want to say that as a civil servant, I never canvassed for any political party or any aspirant in whatever form whatsoever.”

    On the allegation that he attended political rallies and meetings of a political party, he said “The allegation is baseless and it was an attempt to tarnish or soil my reputations and image as a union leader.

    “All I want to say is that I have resolved to fight my cause at the National Industrial Court (NIC) because out of many available options to resolve dispute, I think the best option is to approach the NIC to ventilate my grievances.

    “You can retire somebody but for you to demote that person is too harsh and inhuman and this is why I am approaching the Court for interpretation of what constitutes political participation as a labour chairman because I am still the extant TUC Chairman in Ekiti.”

  • Buhari, APC plotting to Islamise Nigeria, Fayose alleges

    Buhari, APC plotting to Islamise Nigeria, Fayose alleges

    •Ex-minister condemns ‘divisive’ comment

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose yesterday accused President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC)  of plotting to Islamise the nation.

    Fayose said the recent trip of Buhari and five governors to Saudi Arabia was part of an alleged grand plan to make Nigeria an Islamic nation.

    He spoke at the thanksgiving celebration for the affirmation of Governor Nyesom Wike’s election by the Supreme Court at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt.

    The governor said: “There have been subtle moves to Islamise the country. Nigeria is free society. This nation will not be taken as an Islamic nation.”

    Carpeting the ruling party, Fayose said the Supreme Court’s judgment has confirmed that Rivers State belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    He said the APC deceived Nigerians to steal their inheritance, declaring “APC are here by chance and they will go by chance.”

    In a swift reaction, a former Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Suleiman, faulted Fayose’s condemnation of Buhari’s trip to Saudi Arabia.

    He said Fayose’s comments could be counter productive to the reform agenda of the PDP.

    Suleiman said: “The statement credited to Governor Ayo Fayose that the trip by President Muhammad Buhari and five governors to Saudi Arabia is an attempt to transform Nigeria into an Islamic nation should be seen as a misguided utterances and not a true reflection of the perceptions of most members of our party.”

    The ex-Minister added: “Not only is it capable of heighten the centrifugal tendencies in our country, such statement could be counter productive to the reform agenda being driven by some patriotic elements in our party.

    “The mere visit by the president and some government functionaries is not enough to suggest an attempt to islamise the nation.

    “Any divisive statement from any leaders of our party is condemnable and not in the best interest of Nigeria.”