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Tag: Fayose

  • Ekiti PDP crisis worsens as Fayose expels chieftains

    Ekiti PDP crisis worsens as Fayose expels chieftains

    The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, yesterday worsened as a faction loyal to Governor Ayo Fayose suspended four members of the State Working Committee (SWC).

    The faction loyal to Fayose is led by Idowu Faleye while the other faction made up of 11 aggrieved SWC members is led by Tunde Olatunde, who was appointed Acting Chairman shortly after Faleye purportedly resigned in May.

    The two factions have been locked in a bitter struggle for the soul of the party which culminated in a reported shootout at the state party’s secretariat on July 31.

    The Faleye faction in a statement on Friday said those suspended include Olatunde, state PDP Secretary, Dr. Tope Aluko; Women Leader; Mrs. Busola Oyebode and Auditor, Tunji Olanrewaju.

    They were accused of involvement in anti-party activities by the disciplinary committee set up to investigate them.

    The statement read in part: “The State Executive Committee of Peoples Democratic Party Ekiti State met today  August 10, 2015 to review the report of the disciplinary committee set up by the party to investigate allegations of anti- party activities levelled against some officers of the party and resolved as follows:

    “That the Chief Idowu Faleye led executive is the recognized Executive in Ekiti State as confirmed by the National Working Committee.

    “ SEC resolved to uphold the recommendation of the panel on the expulsion of the following people from the party in line with the constitution of the party for their anti- party activities;  Dr Tope Aluko;  Mr Tunde Olatunde; Mrs Busola Oyebode and Mr Tunji Olanrewaju.

    ”SEC ratified the sustenance, nomination and /or appointment of the following as the State Working Committee of the party: Chairman, Chief Idowu Faleye; Deputy Chairman Nelson Shaba, Senatorial Chairman of Ekiti North, Gbeyiro Sunday, Senatorial Chairman of Ekiti South, Alhaji Gani Bankole, and Senatorial Chairman of Ekiti Central , Mr Femi Ogunleye.

    Others are the new Youth Leader, Ayo Ogungbuyi; Women Leader, Afolabi Yemisi Gloria ,Treasurer;  Hon Adeolu Aluko; Auditor , Mojeed Azees Apempe; Publicity Secretary; Jackson Adebayo, Legal Adviser;Olowolafe Ojo Sunday and  Financial Secretary, Akutupu Afolayan.

    Reacting to their suspension, Aluko described the action as a “huge joke, an affront on the party’s constitution and impunity of the highest order and we are not affected by their illegal action.”

    Aluko who spoke in a telephone interview described Faleye and his backers as “jokers and jesters” expressing worry that the party was being ridiculed before Ekiti people and Nigerians by those bent on violating its constitution.

    According to him, those “fomenting the crisis” are defectors from the Labour Party (LP) who don’t understand the philosophy, doctrine and manifesto of the PDP.

  • Ekiti PDP crisis: Fayose’s faction expels four members

    Ekiti PDP crisis: Fayose’s faction expels four members

    Rather than abate, the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has continued to rage as the faction loyal to Governor Ayo Fayose on Friday suspended four members of the State Working Committee (SWC).

    The faction loyal to Fayose is led by Idowu Faleye while the other faction that has 11 aggrieved SWC members is led by Tunde Olatunde who was appointed Acting Chairman when Faleye purportedly resigned in May.

    The two factions have been locked in a bitter struggle for the soul of the party which culminated in a reported shooting incident at the state party secretariat on July 31.

    The Faleye faction in a statement on Friday said those suspended include Olatunde, state PDP Secretary, Dr. Tope Aluko; Women Leader, Mrs. Busola Oyebode and Auditor, Tunji Olanrewaju.

    They were accused of alleged involvement in anti-party activities by the disciplinary committee set up to investigate them.

    The reconciliation committee from the PDP National Secretariat to resolve the crisis in Ekiti chapter is due in the state any moment from now but the latest action of the governor’s faction has added a fresh dimension to the imbroglio.

    The statement read; “The State Executive Committee of Peoples Democratic Party Ekiti State met Friday August 10, 2015 to review the report of the disciplinary committee set up by the party to investigate the allegations of anti party activities leveled against some officers of the party and resolved as follows:

    “That the Chief Idowu Faleye led Executive is the legally recognized Executive in Ekiti State as confirmed by the National Working Committee.

    “SEC resolved to uphold the recommendation of the Panel on the expulsion of the following people from the party in line with the constitution of the party for their anti party activities; Dr Tope Aluko, Mr Tunde Olatunde, Mrs Busola Oyebode and Mr Tunji Olanrewaju.

    “SEC ratified the sustenance, nomination and /or appointment of the following as the State Working Committee of the party: Chairman, Chief Idowu Faleye, Deputy Chairman Nelson Shaba, Senatorial Chairman Ekiti North, Gbeyiro Sunday, Senatorial Chairman South, Alhaji Gani Bankole, and Senatorial Chairman Central , Mr Femi Ogunleye.

    Others are the new Youth Leader, Ayo Ogungbuyi, Women Leader, Afolabi Yemisi Gloria,Treasurer, Hon Adeolu Aluko, Auditor , Mojeed Azees Apempe, Publicity Secretary, Jackson Adebayo, Legal, Olowolafe Ojo Sunday and  Financial Secretary is Akutupu Afolayan.

    It also passed vote of confidence in Fayose “for his efforts at moving the party forward in the state and the national level” also appointed a former chairman of the party, Chief Bola Olu-Ojo as the honorary adviser to Faleye.

    Reacting to their suspension by the faction loyal to Fayose, Aluko described the action as a “huge joke, an affront on the party constitution and impunity of the highest order” saying they are not affected by what he called an “illegal action.”

    Aluko who spoke in a telephone chat described Faleye and his backers as “jokers and jesters” expressing worry that the party is being ridiculed before Ekiti people and Nigerians by those bent on violating its constitution.

    According to him, those “fomenting the crisis” are defectors from the Labour Party (LP) who don’t understand the philosophy, doctrine and manifesto of the PDP.

    Aluko also added that the timing of the action was intended to embarrass him as he was busy with the wedding of his daughter which holds on Saturday.

    Aluko said: “These people cannot just come from the LP and start messing up our party.

    “These hijackers that we didn’t know, I mean impostors talking about suspension are not known to the constitution of the PDP.

    “So, this is impunity at the highest level and an affront to the party. Our tenure expires March 18, 2016. Somebody, somewhere must be illiterate.

    “They came into this party few years ago, they should stop trampling on our constitution which stipulates how a member can become members of the SWC or be removed.

    “Whoever that is pushing them must come out openly. Just look at the timing, I mean when I was about doing the wedding of my daughter Saturday, they took the illegal action. I am going to expose what is between us to the whole world,” Aluko threatened.

    “They are jokers, this party is not for jesters, these people should stop toying with the future of the party, they should stop toying with the constitution of the party.

    “Somebody somewhere must be a bloody illiterate, we brought them to the party three years ago, they must stop this impunity. Tell the whole world that we remain in our offices and the purported expulsion cannot stand.

    “It violates the constitution of the party and it cannot stand. We were elected in March 2012 and our tenure ends in March 2016.”

  • ‘Fayose planning to subvert Ekiti senator’s mandate’

    ‘Fayose planning to subvert Ekiti senator’s mandate’

    •Governor’s aide: it’s not true

    A GROUP, Patriotic Ekiti Youth Coalition for Justice, has accused Governor Ayo Fayose of allegedly plotting to “subvert the choice of Mrs. Fatimat Rasaki as senator representing Ekiti Central through the backdoor”.

    In a statement yesterday by its coordinator, Ayo Omotoso and secretary, Dare Aina, the group claimed that Fayose was giving support to a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial aspirant, Lati Ajijola, in his suit challenging Mrs. Rasaki’s eligibility as the party’s candidate in the March 28 National Assembly poll.

    Ajijola claimed that he won the senatorial primary conducted in Aramoko-Ekiti on December 8 and accused some party leaders of declaring Mrs. Rasaki as winner.

    The declaration, according to him, was contrary to the result of the shadow poll.

    Ajijola’s eligibility case against the senator was last Wednesday transferred from the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti to the state High Court for determination in a ruling delivered by Justice Ishaq Sani.

    But the coalition claimed that Fayose was supporting Ajijola’s suit to deny Mrs. Rasaki of her senatorial mandate.

    It warned Fayose not to work against the senator, claiming that “Ajijola has been frequently sighted at the Government House to firm up the plot to unseat Mrs. Rasaki and replace her with the defeated aspirant”.

    But the Commissioner for Information and Sports, Lanre Ogunsuyi, denied the allegation, which he described as “absurd, baseless and unfounded”.

    Ogunsuyi, who reacted through a telephone interview, noted that Fayose had earlier been accused in some quarters that he was supporting Mrs. Rasaki.

    He wondered how the same Fayose could also be working against the senator he supported to victory.

    He added that the governor had no constitutional power to transfer any case other than the authorities of the judiciary.

     

  • Fayose set to evict ex-governors’ aides, others from estate over mortgage

    •Residents urge Buhari, others to intervene

    Majority of residents of Irewolede Estate on Ilawe Road in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, are gripped with apprehension.

    Reason: The state government has threatened to evict them following the expiration of deadline for those yet to complete payment of mortgages on their houses.

    Governor Ayo Fayose had during the last edition of his monthly media chat, “Meet Your Governor”, accused most of the residents of not honouring payment of mortgages on the houses.

    He gave them a month ultimatum to pay up or risk being ejected.

    Most of the residents are ex-officials, who served during the tenures of former Governors Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi as well as other civil servants, who have repayment agreements ranging between five and 10 years with the Ekiti State Housing Corporation.

    Fayose maintained during the media chat that he was not bound by the agreement brokered by the former administrations, alleging that government was being shortchanged by house owners in the estate.

    He accused some of the residents of erecting illegal structures in their premises.

    The Nation learnt in Ado-Ekiti yesterday that arrangement had been concluded to evict defaulters.

    Only those with documents to prove completion of payment will be allowed access to their residences, it was gathered.

    The state radio and television stations had in the last three weeks been running public service announcements on the intent of the government to sack “defaulting landlords” from their houses.

    Since the announcement, many residents have paid various sums of money on the houses running into millions of naira with pledges to pay regularly. But Fayose seemed not impressed.

    Some of the residents alleged that the ejection threat was more of political witch-hunting and harassment of political opponents.

    They claimed that the governor had concluded plans to re-allocate the houses to his aides and political associates after the present occupants must have been evicted.

    The plea of political appointees in the estate that their severance allowances should be used to offset the outstanding mortgage payments was rejected by the governor just as the case with the monetised vehicles.

    Residents have appealed to Nigerians, including President Muhammadu Buhari, to save them from eviction.

    The houses on Irewolede estate – three-bedroom bungalows and duplexes – were purchased by the political appointees under a mortgage arrangement, which allowed them to pay in five years and renewable for another five years.

    Some moved into the houses in 2012, 2013 and 2014 after they have renovated them.

    Majority of the three-bedroom bungalows were purchased on mortgage of between 10 to 20 years by civil servants.

    One of the affected residents said: “Let’s wait and see what happens tomorrow (Thursday) as the deadline expires today.

    “We have met and taken some decisions and this case will definitely be taken to the court of law as there is a valid arrangement on repayment, which is still ongoing. But we were shocked at the government’s action.

    “This is a violation of our rights. We are not occupying the houses for free as we are paying our money according to the repayment schedule.”

  • Fayose disowns hoodlums attacking Ekiti residents

    Fayose disowns hoodlums attacking Ekiti residents

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has disowned those he referred to as “unscrupulous people who go about attacking innocent residents claiming that he sent them.”

    In a statement yesterday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose urged security agencies to arrest anybody caught assaulting law-abiding residents dropping his name in the process.

    It reads: “We have it on good authority that the plot of these unscrupulous elements is to go about attacking notable indigenes of Ekiti State and claiming that they were sent by Governor Fayose.

    “By announcing that they were Governor Fayose’s boys, the motive of the criminals has no doubt been exposed and it cannot be anything other than to set the people against the governor.

    “We therefore wish to state categorically that Governor Fayose does not harbour criminals. He does not have boys anywhere, not to talk of sending them to attack innocent residents of Ekiti State.

    “Anyone caught attacking or assaulting residents of Ekiti State in the name of “Governor Fayose’s Boys” should be apprehended and handed over to law enforcement agents for appropriate action.”

     

  • Ekiti PDP faction alleges forgery of signature on cheque

    Ekiti PDP faction alleges forgery of signature on cheque

    The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State deepened yesterday as the faction loyal to Governor Ayo Fayose claimed that the cheque issued to pay for the rent of the party secretariat was forged.

    The party was given an eviction notice by the landlord, Ropo Adesanya, following unpaid rent.

    Power supply to the building has been disconnected by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) due to unpaid bills.

    Adesanya, a two-term PDP state chairman, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) a month ago.

    Adesanya, who said the party should pay him N1.5 million for rent owed, added that he was shocked when he (Adesanya) was “issued” a dud cheque.

    The Ekiti PDP Elders’ Forum, led by Clement Awoyelu and party chairmen in the 16 local governments, have declared support for the chairman of the faction loyal to Fayose, Idowu Faleye.

    They also backed Fayose who they said was offering the people and the party the right leadership.

    The elders accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of masterminding the internal strife in the party.

    Faleye is in a battle for the control of the party with Tunde Olatunde, who heads a faction, which has 14 State Working Committee (SWC) members elected in the March 2012 state congress.

    The Olatunde faction had in May “removed” Faleye on the grounds that his appointment violated the PDP constitution.

    According to the elders, APC chieftains were sponsoring the factional crisis to destabilise the PDP.

    Awoyelu said: “We view Tunde Olatunde and Secretary Tope Aluko as moles because they are being financed by the APC and other external forces to destabilise our party.”

    Clearing the air on the signature forgery mess surrounding the cheque issued to Adesanya, Awoyelu, who spoke through a forum member and former state chairman, Bola Olu-Ojo, said the development was intended to embarrass the party.

    Awoyelu alleged that the bank where the party’s account was domiciled refused to honour the cheque because a change of signatories was carried out “without the chairman’s authorisation”.

    He said: “The cheque was not honoured because there was change of signatories without authorisation.

    “That cheque was forged because the signature was not the chairman’s signature.

    “This was a calculated attempt to embarrass the party because he (Adesanya) has left the party for the opposition (APC).”

    Responding to questions on why Faleye had not been operating from the party secretariat, Awoyelu claimed that he (Faleye) comes there regularly “but in certain situations one needs to be security-conscious”.

    On the position of the Olatunde faction that Faleye and the state youth leader were from the same ward, which runs contrary to the party constitution, Awoyelu said the SWC did not have the final say on the issue but the  State Executive Committee (SEC).

    He explained that the SWC passed the decision to the SEC for ratification, which would then be forwarded to the national secretariat.

    Awoyelu said party elders have intervened by holding peace meetings with the two factions but “the Olatunde faction has not been cooperating to ensure the resolution of the crisis”.

    He said party elders would continue to work to resolve the crisis, maintaining that “Faleye remains the authentic chairman” of the party and enjoys the backing of majority of members in all wards, council areas and senatorial districts.

    Chairman of the Forum of PDP chairmen in the 16 local governments Kola Lawal said the group supports Faleye, adding that there was no place where a meeting was held to remove him (Faleye) from office.

    Awoyelu was joined by senior party members, including former House of Assembly Speaker Olatunji Odeyemi, former Secretary Gboyega Akinola, former Vice Chairman Bodunde Daramola, former Assembly member Gbadebo Ibuoye, among others.

  • Like Fayose, like Wike

    Like Fayose, like Wike

    Governors Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti and Nyesom Wike of Rivers are two of a kind. They share some parallels. Both are men greatly admired by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife.  For the former, Jonathan was prepared to risk everything including honour and his presidency. Leaving nothing to chance during Fayose’s gubernatorial battle in June 2014, he deployed his Minister for Police Affairs Jelili Adesiyan, junior Minister of Defence, Musliu Obanikoro and Brigadier General Aliu Momoh  to lead a contingent of 12,000 mobile police men, 15,000 NSCDC personnel, 26 sniffer dogs, two aircraft at a time the nation lacked resources to confront Boko Haram that had seized a sizable portion of our territory and holding about 300 school girls abducted from their dormitories in captivity.  Fayose went on to secure a landslide victory through what is today known as ‘Ekiti-gate’, defeating Fayemi, the high achieving incumbent in all the 16 LGAs of the state. For the latter, in an election marred by violence, supporters of Patience Jonathan, some of whom once described her as ‘messiah’, ensured he won by a wide margin of 1,029,102 votes to Dr  Dakuku Petersides’s measly 124,896 votes to secure a victory now being hotly contested at the election tribunal in Abuja. In return, the duo loves the ex-president and his wife in equal measure. They could follow Jonathan and his wife into battle blind-folded.  For Jonathan’s March 28 failed re-election bid, Fayose fought without grace. He was like the proverbial stubborn fly that follows the corpse to the grave. He was ready to sink with Jonathan. And for Wike, fighting Jonathan’s personal wars was a greater honour than serving the nation. As Minister of Education, while universities and polytechnics went on strike for close to a year, he was able to create time to be in Port Harcourt every weekend mobilizing thugs and ex-militants to, as he put it ‘ensure the president was not disgraced in South-south’. And he delivered on his promise.  Of the 1,584,768 total votes cast, Jonathan secured 1,487.075 to Buhari’s paltry 69,238 in Rivers.

    Both Fayemi and Amaechi set high standards in the delivery of the dividends of democracy.  And since Fayose and Wike who effortlessly secured landslide victories without agenda have very little to offer in terms of clear policy perspective, their common strategy was to start attacking the integrity of their predecessors in office right from the inauguration ground. Fayose first claimed the “N3.3bn new Government House is Fayemi’s show of wickedness to Ekiti people,” He further claimed the facilities in the lodge which he described as “out-of-this-world luxury” were provided for Fayemi, his wife and children. He also alleged “what was spent on their bedrooms, toilets and bathrooms will be in the region of N100m”.

    But in a live interview monitored in Ado-Ekiti the Thursday after his inauguration, Fayose invited all, the Islamic and Christian prophets in Ekiti, for the cleansing of the Government House. At another thanksgiving service held at the Ado Ekiti Central Mosque the following day, he informed the congregation “I am for the masses. I’m not in a hurry to go to the Government House. Those who want to go there can go there and enjoy themselves; how will governor put electricity in his house and the whole town is in darkness?” Fayose was not done. “Shouldn’t such funds expended on the hilltop edifice have been used to resuscitate the moribund textile factory in Ado-Ekiti that was turned to lock-up shops to provide employment for our teeming youths?” He had asked his audience.

     Like Fayose, like Wike. The only difference was while Fayose’s tantrums was about the alleged N3.4billion his predecessor spent in building a new governors lodge, Wike’s antics was about the vandalized Rivers State Governors Lodge. While addressing his congregation during a post inauguration thanksgiving service on Sunday, May 31, he said: “As I speak with you, everything has been vandalized. I will not enter the Government House in the next two or three months. There is no vehicle in Government House, not even one”. He continued “all the bullet-proof doors, furniture, crested carpets, curtains and windows had been stolen by the former administration”. The following day, Wike took some selected journalists and some PDP stalwarts including national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus; former deputy governor of the state, Engr. Tele Ikuru; former Minister of Sports, Dr. Tammy Danagogo the state chairman of PDP, Chief Felix Obuah, among others to the residential quarters, offices and the banquet hall where key furniture, television sets and electrical accessories had been vandalized.  Chief Felix Amaechi Obuah soon followed with a statement which “unequivocally condemns such childish and criminal action of former Governor, Amaechi”.  Then the Rivers State Police Command issued a statement claiming the recovery of three coaster buses, two 306 Peugeot, two hummer buses and one 306 Peugeot’ parked in a unauthorised yard’, which turned out to be mechanic garage.

    Reacting to Wike antics, Amaechi implored the Rivers people to ask Wike whether he was conversant with ‘what was in his former bedroom before now, to conclude that the bedroom was looted?’ or whether he spoke ‘with or review with the Permanent Secretary of Government House, who is the chief accounting officer’. And finally Amaechi wanted the Rivers people to know “that on Friday, May 29, Wike had barred some key officials of Government House, including civil servants from accessing the place. 48 hours later, he started shouting ‘vandalisation and looting’; I left the place intact. If there’s any vandalisation or looting in Government House after I left, Rivers people should ask Wike what happened.” It is Wike’s words against Amaechi’s. One thing that is not in doubt however is the fact that Rivers is home to many thugs and militants who often operate freely. And from the targets of various acts of violence before and during the election, it was clear Wike commands their loyalty.

    In the interim, Wike has secured N30 billion loan in 30 days. Asked to justify a policy of N1b a day by Wike’s administration, one of his top officials told Channel Television reporters something to the effect that, the governor should be praised for achieving so much within a month with the loan.… “This office when we moved in had nothing. Even the central carpet had been taken away…”

    I hope Fayose, who has been chasing Fayemi around the country for allegedly spending N3.4b to build a new government house knows he owes him an apology in the light of his ‘30 days governor N30b loan’ soul mate whose expressed reason for the huge loan is rehabilitation and furnishing vandalized government lodge. But Fayose has more to worry about. By October, he would have spent one year in office, enjoying the luxury including the N50m bed he had claimed Fayemi designed for the comfort of his family. ‘The moribund textile industries’ remain moribund. Ado Ekiti like other Ekiti towns remain in darkness while contrary to his undertaking, he has been sleeping in ‘governors house lit up with electricity.’

     To borrow Fayemi’s apt description of Fayose’s theatrics at the height of his persecution, the antics of Fayemi and Wike have been more of ‘comedy of errors and theatre of the absurd’.

  • Don’t punish my dad unjustly, detainee’s son begs Fayose

    The son of the detained former Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in Ekiti State, Rotimi Olanbiwonnu, Olaide, has said his father is being victimised.

    Olanbiwonnu was arrested at 12.45am at his Ado-Ekiti home for the killing of former National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Chairman, Omolafe Aderiye, last September 25.

    He was arraigned at Magistrate Court 2 in Ado-Ekiti. The Magistrate, Idowu Aiyenimon, remanded him in prison custody and adjourned till Friday.

    Speaking with The Nation at the family’s Oke Ila house yesterday, Olaide said life has not been the same since Monday.

    He said his father was arrested naked before he requested the policemen to allow him wear his clothes.

    Olaide insisted that his father had no hand in Aderiye’s death as being alleged by the government.

    He said: “My father’s arrest was politically motivated and this is very unfortunate that this is happening in a democracy. We are not in the military era and we are not in an animal farm.

    “How can somebody’s privacy be invaded without any search or arrest warrant because of desperation to hang a frivolous murder charge on an innocent man?

    “My father has no problem with anybody and has no reason to kill anybody as he and others had been cleared of complicity by the police.

    “I am angry that my father was taken away for no just cause and I challenged those policemen who dragged me out of the house.

    “We, members of the Olanbiwonnu family, are demanding his unconditional release because his arrest was politically motivated and government should look elsewhere for the culprits, my father has no hand in anybody’s killing.”

     

  • Fayose: The return of a governor’s tantrums

    Fayose: The return of a governor’s tantrums

    HE was the ultimate Ekiti success story, or so it seemed, when he emerged governor of the agrarian state in 2003. His feat was seen by many as a source of encouragement for young men to dare to dream. Ayodele Fayose, a man of humble background from Afao Ekiti, defeating the son of General Adeniyi Adebayo in a governorship contest was expected to open the doors of opportunity for many upstarts in the state.

    But whatever joy and hope that trailed his emergence vanished as soon as he assumed office as governor. Throughout his tenure up until his impeachment in October, 2006, Fayose was prominent in the news, most times for the wrong reasons.

    For him, no other person mattered in the state except him. Not even the revered royal fathers were spared the governor’s bitter pills. And for the elders and political leaders in the state, Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, became a no-go area.

    For all his performances during his first stint as governor, the case of embezzling state funds, particularly the Ekiti State Poultry Project handled by his childhood friend and contractor, Gbenga James, resonated most.

    However, Fayose has refused to acknowledge any contradiction in what he professes and actual actions despite his claim that he had learnt from his past mistakes. Like the proverbial leopard which does not change its spot, he has continued his less-than-refined style of governance from where he left it in 2006.

    If anyone thought he had truly become wiser and mature from the experience that culminated in his impeachment in 2006, his actions since then have been to the contrary. Soon after he won the election, he dared the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Southwest, proclaiming himself the leader of the party in the zone.

    Fayose’s battle with the 19 lawmakers may have entered into the history books, not for the crisis it generated, but for the dangerous tactics employed by the governor and its implications for the future. At each step of the way, Fayose dragged the fragile peace in the state to the precipice, inciting the people against the lawmakers.

    Presenting the budget to the seven-man House, Fayose said: “Mr Speaker, you are the speaker. I say you are the speaker. I say it again, you are the speaker. I’m saying it with the authority of the governor that the power of the people is greater than those in power. Any attempt to overrun this house will be resisted by the people of the state.”

    If you think that the last presidential election campaign broke the record as the most hate-filled in the history of the country, Governor Fayose broke all the records that ever existed about decorum and civility. More than any other politician in the PDP, Fayose came under intense criticism for placing an advert on the front page of a national newspaper suggesting that President Muhammadu Buhari, who was at the time the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), would die in office if elected president.

    The advert, which has the photographs of deceased former Nigerian leadersMurtala Muhammed, Sani Abacha, and Umaru Yar’Adua  who all died in office, was accompanied with an excerpt from the Bible (Deuteronomy 30:19) and a message which read: “Nigerians be warned! Nigeria…I have set before thee life and death. Therefore, choose life that both thee and thy seed may live.” The import of the message was that Mr. Buhari represented death while his rival, President Goodluck Jonathan represented life.

    The said advert had put a huge question mark on Buhari’s picture placed beside the pictures of the late leaders. It then asked its readers: “Will you allow history to repeat itself? Enough of State burials.”

    An elderly man, who tried to make sense of the political strategy of the governor, had said: “He reminds me of the story of the tortoise. The tortoise was about to embark on a journey, and his neighbours asked him when he would come back. He told them, ‘Not until I am disgraced.’

    But unsure of the fate that awaited him as Buhari turned out the winner of the election, Fayose was among the first set of Nigerians to congratulate him as soon as he was declared the winner. Many discerning minds viewed Fayose’s action as that of a convicted man seeking to make up with his victim in order to get a soft landing.

    However, it has since turned out that the presidency is not interested in any witch hunting, especially with Fayose.

    Convinced that he might have nothing to fear after all, Fayose has once again found his voice. In recent times, he has come out all guns blazing. He kicked against the selection of his Ondo State counterpart, Olusegun Mimiko, as the chairman of the PDP governors’ forum. And while the dust generated by his feud with Mimiko was yet to clear, he took on the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, seeking to be the deputy chairman of the body.

    With President Buhari saying that his cabinet may not be ready until September and Fayose insisting that he must choose the state’s ministerial nominee, the last is certainly yet to be heard of Fayose’s tantrums.

  • APC to Fayose: don’t misuse ‘bailout’ funds

    APC to Fayose: don’t misuse ‘bailout’ funds

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has insisted that Governor Ayo Fayose must use the “bailout” funds from the Federal Government for its intended purpose.

    The party said the fund must be used to pay salary arrears, pensioners’ entitlements and subventions of the state-owned tertiary institutions, among others.

    In a statement yesterday by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the APC said Fayose denied collecting the fund after he had allegedly done so.

    The party said: “The governor has persistently denied that he has collected the cash.

    “He told Ekiti people that he would announce if he collects any money from the Federal Government but he didn’t do that when he collected the fund.”

    The party debunked claims by the governor that the cash was the usual allocation from the Federation Account and not a special fund to pay workers salaries.

    Olatunbosun contended that the governor’s denial was “a most wicked attitude to misinform Ekiti people and put workers at the peril of dashed hopes”.

    “It is wicked, selfish and greedy for the governor to continue to deceive our people that he has not collected the bailout cash.

    “We state that just as other states, Fayose has collected Ekiti’s share of the fund, which we believe should be spent on workers’ salaries.

    “Pensioners are owed five months. Traditional rulers are also owed five months. Higher institutions have not received subventions for five months; the State University Teaching Hospital and School of Health Technology, Ijero-Ekiti, have not received subventions for five months but there is enough for frequent trips to South Africa and the United Arab Emirates,” he said.

    Olatubosun decried the governor’s penchant for “misinformation and bare-faced lies”.

    He bemoaned the lack of transparency in the governor’s dealing with Ekiti people.

    “Fayose denied ever collecting N22billion refunds on federal projects as well as N2billion Ecological Fund until we planned to go to the Ecological Fund Office to get the details.

    “There is a constant pattern of behaviour anytime the governor collects money from Abuja. He would travel to the UAE and South Africa where reports alleged he is building  five-star hotels.”

    The APC spokesman said the party was worried about the cheating in the compensation package to traders at Oja-Oba Market.

    He said: “It is callous to continue to cheat the traders while claiming to be their friend.

    “We have heard of the official N500,000 compensation package for the women who are losing their stalls to the planned new market, but only N100,000 and below got to the poor women.

    “In the official document, N500,000 is paid to each woman, but she receives N100,000 because she doesn’t know she is entitled to N500,000.

    “This is greed and callousness and we urge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to beam its searchlight on Fayose.”