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Tag: Governor Ayodele Fayose

  • APC to Fayose: You can’t escape scrutiny in bailout disbursement

    APC to Fayose: You can’t escape scrutiny in bailout disbursement

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has told Governor Ayodele Fayose to stop playing pranks to avoid the scrutiny of the Senate Committee on Local Governments in the disbursement of the bailout cash approved to the state by the Federal Government.

    It said the bailout is different from the regular federal allocation that cannot be monitored by the allocating authority, stressing that the governor cannot hide under the constitution to abuse a special intervention scheme that specifically insisted on a set of rules for a strict application of the funds for the purpose for which it was approved.

    Fayose had written the Federal Government, citing separation of power and independence of the state in the appropriation and application  of  federal funds allocated to the state governments, insisting that fiscal independence by the states would not allow his government to open its books to the Senate Committee touring the states to investigate how the bailout cash was spent.

    But Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said in a statement that Fayose was playing with facts and the law to avoid scrutiny on how he spent the special funds specifically approved to pay the backlog of salaries, pensions and other entitlements to former political office holders.

    He said the governor’s “recalcitrant action” was a confirmation of the party’s earlier allegation that he had misappropriated the fund.

    Describing Fayose’s stance as laughable, Olatunbosun said: “Fayose cannot pretend that he did not know that the Federal Government attached certain terms and conditions to the bailout before he collected it and we wonder why a governor that agreed to the terms is now refusing to explain how he spent the money to establish transparency in the application of such terms.

    “The bailout is like taking a bond that is programme-specific and Fayose knew this before he took the bailout and we wonder why he is now behaving as if the bailout is a Father Christmas gift that doesn’t require accountability.

    “It is now glaring that Fayose has many things to hide, as we had on several occasions cried that he had diverted the bailout to his private pocket instead of using it to pay salaries as the main condition attached to the loan.”

    He conceded that the House of Assembly had oversight functions over statutory allocations, explaining, however, that the bailout  was a dedicated fund approved by the National Assembly for the Central Bank of Nigeria to disburse to states owing their workers.”Since the National Assembly has oversight functions on the CBN and other federal agencies, it follows, therefore, that it can monitor how the bailout is spent by asking questions.

    “In fact, one of the conditions attached to the disbursement of the bailout is that its disbursement by the benefitting states  shall be monitored by the  CBN and this means the National Assembly can also monitor,” he explained.

    Accusing the governor for being motivated by “his tradition of fraud and muddling up of facts” by quoting irrelevant sections of the constitution  to escape the scrutiny of the National Assembly, Olatunbosun said it was regrettable that Fayose was owing just one month salary of less than N2b when he took N9.6b bailout, but paid only one month salary and refused to pay pensioners, leave bonus and severance allowances of former political office holders as approved in the protocols of the bailout approval.

    He said it was the knowledge of the governor’s conduct for alleged fraudulent practices that forced the party to raise the alarm on many  occasions calling on the CBN and anti-corruption agencies to force Fayose to explain how he spent the balance of the money after paying just one month salary.

    Olatunbosun insisted that Fayose must also explain to the EFCC how he misappropriated the balance of the bailout, including the World Bank’s grants in dollars for core subjects and the rural postings allowance, which he changed to naira and allegedly kept a part totalling over N600m to himself.

    He added: “Fayose must also explain how he spent N850 million that was supposed to be returned to government account as PAYEE money deducted from workers’ accounts, but which was diverted to a private account in Sterling Bank with the governor as the sole signatory.

    “The PAYEE account as a result of deductions from workers is not up to N850 million in actual fact, but the figure was inflated so that the balance would end up in private pocket while the fake figure is in government’s books.

  • Fayose meets cattle owners on new grazing law

    Fayose meets cattle owners on new grazing law

    Members of the umbrella body of cattle owners, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), will now be part of the patrol teams to enforce the new law to regulate grazing in Ekiti State.
    Governor Ayodele Fayose gave the directive on Tuesday at a meeting with the leadership of MACBAN where both parties ironed out ‘grey’ areas in the enforcement of the Prohibition of Cattle and Other Ruminants Grazing Act 2016.
    MACBAN leaders had requested to be part of the patrol of Ekiti Grazing Enforcement Marshals (EGEM) to enforce the law a request which was granted by Fayose who declared that he is not against the interest of Fulani people or any other ethnic group in the country.

    The meeting, which took place at the Government House, had Ekiti State executive of MACBAN and representatives from across the local governments in the stat‎e in attendance.

    ‎Fayose said: “I have nothing against you or any other ethnic group. Nobody should bring politics into this matter. If a Yoruba person destroys your property I will defend you too.

    “Leaders are not supposed to discriminate and as a leader, I don’t discriminate. The law of the land is not against anybody who obeys it but those who flout it. It is people destroying other people’s farms that are causing this problem.
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    “We have given lands to people to farm and they have paid, some for many years to use the lands and when somebody now comes and destroys their means of livelihood and make them suffer losses, we won’t allow that.‎

    “It ‎is the bad people that make others suffer. If anybody says Fayose is after Hausa or Fulani people, that person has no sense. During my first term, I appointed a man from Malumfashi as a Special Adviser. This term too, I appointed Musa Kanga into the Pilgrims Welfare Board.

    “In Oke Ako-Ekiti last May, two persons were killed, people’s wives raped by those hiding under the guise of rearing cattle. I have 83 cows too and I have told the person taking care of them that if he goes against the law and any of them is seized, he will be responsible for that.”

    Governor Fayose also emphasized against rearing cows along major roads and city centres, saying that had caused fatal vehicular accidents in the past.
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    He explained: “If you have not been to London or America, I guess some of you have been to Mecca, did you see cattle breeders leading their cattle across city centres and major roads, with the cows defecating everywhere? This is not done and it is not that the people in those places don’t have cows they breed too.”

    On the demand by the MACBAN leaders that they be part of the patrol teams to enforce the law, the governor acceded and commended their effort to support his administration in getting rid of bad eggs among the cattle breeders.
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    The Ekiti State MACBAN chairman, Alhaji Muhammad Nasamu, commended the governor for his frankness and openness.

    Nasamu noted that the meeting had disabused the minds of his members about wrong information being circulated by some people about the governor and the state government.
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    He said: “Seeing you face to face and hearing from you has quelled all the strange stories we are hearing. Leaders from across the federation have been calling me saying where are you‎ and that they have been hearing funny stories from the state, but now we know the truth. Ekiti is my home and anybody who spoils the name of Ekiti is spoiling my name.
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    “Today that we have met, we are suggesting that farmers and Fulani rearers be part of the marshals who will patrol across the state. When that is done, there will no longer be any trouble. Those in the office don’t know what is happening in the bush and we will try and bridge the communication gap.”
  • Selfish excitement for foreign trips by Nigerian Govs

    Selfish excitement for foreign trips by Nigerian Govs

    Those in search of irrational and disgraceful justification of misconduct from Nigeria’s public officials should turn to Ekiti state Governor, Ayodele  Fayose. His vocabulary is always drenched in classic idiocy and lunatic ecstasy in support of an unpopular cause.

    Mid this year, Fayose would have wrestled to the ground President Muhammedu Buhari, had he sighted him physically for having the effrontery to place foreign travel restrictions on some Governors in Nigeria. They were required to clear with the Department of Department Security Service (DSS) before embarking on foreign trips.

    The directive incensed Fayose who uttered all manner of horrendous condemnations of Buhari. He insisted by faulting such restrictions as gross violations of the freedom of movement of Nigerians as guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and referenced other laws Buhari has contravened with the “obnoxious” directive.  He dared the President to apply such travel restrictions on him, as states were not appendages of the Federal Government.

    State Governors in Nigeria delight in global-trotting. Since 1999, the trend has been ridiculously etched in the psyche of state governors and their hordes of political appointees.

    They feel incomplete without junketing to foreign lands as soon as they assume office. In the last political dispensation, some Governors, joined by a retinue of government appointees, acquire foreign exchange and travel out to import specie of swine (pigs) or some kind of grasses for animals in George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” (states).

    That was when the economy was good and bubbling with free money from the mini-oil boom. So, such extravagance, though painful, but attracted less opposing noise. But Nigeria today is in dire economic crunch which is causing sleepless nights to President Buhari.

    But some state governors, including those indebted to their workers over salary and furiously borrowing loans have refused to discard this damaging idea. It has kept gulping FOREX and draining the economy of their respective states.

    The decent ones among them officially claim the foreign trips are meant to source for foreign investors in sectors like power energy, roads and water plants construction and acquire modern agricultural techniques and equipment. But the world is in an age of ICT, where business transactions involving billions of US Dollars can be sealed online within hours, at no noticeable cost.

    But  also, some advance flimsy reasons for the trips such as medical tourism, sight-seeing of Western countries when on annual vacations; personal visits to family members  and friends or attending international conferences, but  on themes which have no bearing whatsoever on any development platform in their states.

    It is this proclivity to baseless foreign trips that compelled Plateau state Governor Simon Lalong to mutate into a pastor to spend two-weeks  in Brazil  to pray for Nigeria.

    Presently, at least 13 incumbent Governors in Nigeria have been identified as obsessed with global-trotting. And in some cases, the Governors themselves fail to do as much as feigning an official or unofficial reason for the foreign  trips, which are  hugely funded with tax payers money.

    Governors Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state; the Owelle of Onitsha Rochas Okorocha of Imo state; the unassuming    Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara state; Ogun state’s Ibikunle Amosun; Benue’s Samuel Ortom; Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa state; Mallam  Nasiru el-Rufai  of Kaduna; Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara; Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina ; Solomon Lalong of Plateau; Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe; and  Nyesom Wike of Rivers have  leading  irresistible attraction to foreign trips.

    Although they are chief executives of different states, the reasons often bandied to the public for such trips sometimes, rhyme suspiciously and rarely do the reasons differ.

    Peculiarly, almost all the Governors claim the foreign trips are to woo or source for foreign investors. The unconvincing tales also laughably speak of direct foreign investments   in areas like Agro-business, automobiles, industrial partnership, irrigation technology and farm equipment.

    These Nigerian State Governors have favourite destinations in Europe, Asia and African continents constantly on their menu of countries to visit. Uppermost is the United States, China, Australia, United Kingdom, South Africa, India, France, Israel, Canada, Lebanon,  Singapore, Malaysia,  Italy,  United Arab Emirate and  Saudi Arabia among others.

    What is intriguing about the foreign trips is their failure in virtually all the states, the Governors have refused to let go their flair for global-trotting. Its nearly two years in the tenure of governors who came on board in 2015 and despite their multiple foreign trips, none can pinpoint to any foreign investor or any advantage the state has received from such trips, outside lining their pockets with estacode allowances, catching fun in foreign lands and shopping abroad.

    When opponents in their states demand the dividends of such trips, they only reply with words like “expecting it soon” and the shamefaced ones simply prefer silence.

    But these Governors cannot deceive Nigerians for long.  Anti-money laundering laws have made it extremely difficult to launder stolen wealth, especially with the agreements the Nigerian government has signed with foreign nations in the area of co-operation. These trips provide them with diplomatic cover to ferry sleaze money abroad, under the guise of sourcing for foreign investors and it is the sole reason no public benefits have been derived from the visits.

    But the state governors should not forget that the spirit of their impoverished people, poorly developed states and rural communities, coupled with the undeserved penury imposed on them would continue to chokingly haunt them. Very many of the foreign expertise or technology they claim to seek outside the shores of Nigeria can be obtained locally. What irrigation scheme Governor Ibrahim Gaidam sought to create jobs for 40,000 youths that Agricultural Research Institutes in Nigeria cannot offer to him at a modest cost that he went to acquire in China?

    Nigerians cannot be taken for granted for a long time and the level of consciousness of the people nowadays should induce caution in leaders, rather than such reckless indulgence into official profligacy. The time to have a re-think is now before they are crushed by the might of popular rejection by the masses.

    Raheem writes from Kaduna.

  • ‘We’re vindicated over claim on Ekitigate’

    ‘We’re vindicated over claim on Ekitigate’

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has said that the revelations by former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, has vindicated its claim that Governor Ayodele Fayose’s election on June 21, 2014, was compromised through heavy funding by the Federal Government, which also deployed the military, including compromise of INEC, to give victory to the governor.

    In a statement in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday by Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the party said that Obanikoro’s confession that he gave millions of dollars in cash to Fayose to fix his election had left Nigerians in a clearer picture that Fayose won his election through fraud as the party had always insisted.

    “We said it that Fayose was mobilised by the Federal Government with funds, military and INEC to win his election.

    “Captain Sagir Koli’s tape said it all in an audio recording where Fayose himself said he collected INEC soft copies he printed to win his election before PDP State Secretary, Tope Aluko, told Nigerians through documents how the process was compromised to give victory to Fayose,” he said.

    Olatunbosun also berated the governor for denying the roles of the Federal Government in the manipulation of the election, saying that the revelations by Obanikoro had put a lie to the governor’s claim that Zenith Bank and private individuals funded his election.

    He said: “We have always insisted that Fayose is a fantastic kleptomaniac and a pathological liar whose integrity is in question as declared by an Ekiti State High Court judge in his suit against Femi Falana in a defamation case against the lawyer.

    “It is baffling that Fayose that had been grandstanding that he did not collect money from the Federal Government now has no answer to Obanikoro’s confession other than lying that the former minister was compromised to give his confession to nail him.

    “Fayose as a man obsessed with the life of fraud never believes that anything can be done without committing fraud, that is why he believes that Obanikoro was compromised to give evidence in a matter that was comprehensively documented and that cannot be denied by anybody in this world except Fayose who believes that lies and fraud can do anything for him.”

    Olatunbosun said now that Obanikoro had said it all to corroborate Aluko’s documented facts on the case, Fayose should get himself prepared to face the law.
    “It is now clear why Fayose made himself the spokesman of the opposition criticising every action of the Federal Government and getting himself involved in seditious and treasonable activities to bring President Muhammadu’s administration down.
    “But the game is up. The long arms of the law will eventually catch up with Fayose because whatever a man sows, he shall reap.

    “We agree with Fayose that Buhari should fight hunger, but we also agree that the President should fight those who cause hunger by looting the nation’s treasury of which  Fayose is a major beneficiary as can be seen in his various acts of corruption and so he should get  prepared to face the law because the law is above everybody,” Olatunbosun concluded.

  • EFCC detains Fani-Kayode’s wife, eight month-old-baby

    EFCC detains Fani-Kayode’s wife, eight month-old-baby

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained the wife of former Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Precious Fani-Kayode in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State.

    The Nation gathered that Mrs. Fani-Kayode, who was a guest of Governor Ayodele Fayose, was at the Bank for transactions when she was detained by officials of the bank claiming that the account was frozen by EFCC.

    The wife of former Minister of Aviation later found out that she was detained after she inquired from officials of the bank why she was not promptly attended to and was told briefed of the instruction from the EFCC.

    Precious, who was detained alongside her eight-month-old baby, was later released when Governor Fayose stormed the bank with some of his supporters around 7:00 pm to secure her release.

    Thereafter her release, she lamented how she badly treated by the officials while her baby was denied food, saying: “I’m not a politician and that account had been dormant for about five years. I only activated it last month in Port Harcourt.

    “I decided to go to Access Bank to make some withdrawals when I was detained on the instruction of the EFCC. They told me account had been frozen and they were asked by the EFCC to arrest me on the spot.

  • Ekiti works commissioner resigns

    The Ekiti state Government on Wednesday announced the resignation of the state Commissioner for Works and Transportation, Mr. Kayode Oso.

    The announcement was contained in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ado Ekiti by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Modupe Alade.

    According to the statement, Oso, known to be one of the closest political associates of Governor Ayo Fayose, resigned on health grounds.

    “Mr. Kayode Oso has worked assiduously to add value to this administration going by his effort towards the development of our state.

    “His letter of resignation has been fully accepted‎ by His Excellency, Mr. Ayo Fayose.

    “Oso, in his notice to the governor, stated that he decided to resign to attend to his health challenges.

    “We wish him quick recovery, the Government of Ekiti State will stand by him while he overcomes his health challenges,” Alade said.

    NAN recalls that Oso, during the first term in office of Fayose, served as Chief of Staff to the governor and was later appointed works commissioner.

    Oso, a native of Ado Ekiti, was again reappointed Works Commissioner on Oct. 16, 2014, soon after the governor was sworn-in for a second term.

     

  • Tinubu is a pillar, leader in Yorubaland  – Fayose

    Tinubu is a pillar, leader in Yorubaland  – Fayose

    Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state on Monday described former Lagos state Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as a pillar in Yorubaland and Nigeria as a whole.

    Fayose said this in a congratulatory message to mark Tiunbu’s 64th birthday.

    Tinubu was born on March 29, 1952.

    A statement issued by Mr Idowu Adelusi, the Chief Press Secretary to Fasoye, said that the APC national leader had over the years proven to be a great political figure in the country.

    “I heartily felicitate with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as he clocks 64 on March 29.

    “Whether one likes it or not, Asiwaju Tinubu has become a political pillar and leader, not only in Yorubaland but in Nigeria.

    “He is a great politician who takes well-calculated political steps.

    “I and the good people of Ekiti State join millions of Nigerians and Asiwaju Tinubu’s friends and supporters across the world to rejoice with him on this auspicious occasion.

    “Asiwaju Tinubu is a good case study when one talks about political resilience and doggedness and no wonder he now ranks among the leaders of this great country.

    “I pray that God gives him the grace to witness many more years in sound health in the land of the living,’’ Fayose was quoted as saying in the statement.

     

  • “Fayose’s statement a misguided utterance”

    “Fayose’s statement a misguided utterance”

    Former Minister of National Planning under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Suleiman Abubakar, has scolded the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose over his comments that President Muhammadu Buhari was turning Nigeria to an Islamic state.

    It would be recalled that Fayose alleged that the trip by President Buhari and five governors to Saudi Arabia was an attempt to transform Nigeria into an Islamic nation.

    The former minister condemned the statement saying: “It should be seen as a misguided utterances and not a true reflection of the perceptions of most members of our party.”

    Abubakar, who said this in a statement noted that Fayose’s statement is “not only capable of heighten the centrifugal tendencies in our country, but could be counter-productive to the reform agenda been 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 leader of our party is condemnable and not in the best interest of Nigeria,” he maintained.

  • Ekiti varsity starts 1st semester exam

    Ekiti varsity starts 1st semester exam

    The Ekiti State University has commenced its 1st semester examination despite the impeachment crises in the state.

    The examination, which started on Monday, April 20, came after the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Patrick Oladipupo Aina, had earlier notified the students that the examination was going to start.

    According to a statement issued by the Vice Chancellor at a congress of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ado-Ekiti chapter, earlier in the month, he disclosed that only 100 level students were exempted from writing the examination.

    Our correspondent gathered that the institution has been on strike for over one month and as such the students consented to the authorities’ decision.

    The institution had embarked on strike after the state governor, Ayodele Fayose, paid his outstanding debts, but refused to clear the debts of his predecessor, Kayode Fayemi.

    But the institution’s authorities  belief the state government will grant its request before the completion of the examination or the strike will continue.

  • You can’t escape impeachment, Speaker tells Fayose

    You can’t escape impeachment, Speaker tells Fayose

    The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin, has said Governor Ayodele Fayose cannot escape  impeachment.

    He said the impeachment notice served him is a constitutional matter and not theatrics to play down serious issues of the law raised in the letter to the governor.

    He said instead of  hiding to evade justice, it is better to live with the reality that the rule of law has come to stay in the country.

    Reacting to media reports credited to the self-styled Speaker, Dele Olugbemi and the governor’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, dismissing the impeachment notice as a joke, Omirin said the two men were still acting in ignorance of the supremacy of the constitution.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Wole Olujobi, Omirin said the Ekiti issue was to rescue democracy from the gridlock of executive lawlessness and impunity.

    He said: “It will soon be clear to Fayose and his aides that the matter at hand goes beyond exuberant media skirmishes being deployed to rally support for the governor.

    “The world’s attention has shifted to Ekiti State, following the Ekitigate scandal. Several issues have been raised on the place of the constitution in nurturing democracy and as responsible citizens, we must act fast to make democracy work.”

    The Speaker said all allegations raised in the impeachment notice are constitutional matters, to which the governor must be ready to produce answers, instead of his belligerent stance.

    Advising the governor to respond to the allegations against him, he said running away from the Government House and using his aides to cover his track would not help him in defending his assault and other infractions on the constitution that were established against him in court.

    “It is good that his men are talking in the media about the need to uphold the constitution in this matter even though they behave short of upholding the constitution in their conduct.

    “Even though the governor trampled on the same constitution when he led thugs to attack judges and tore  records in the chief judge’s office, our duty is to follow constitutional path in this impeachment process.

    “These men who are flying the governor’s banner will soon see the law in action. This impeachment process is real.

    “We must rescue Ekiti State from lawlessness and fraud. The N1.3 billion poultry project fraud case is still in court. There are still cases of unresolved murders.

    “We have again seen the resumption of state-sponsored terrorism with thugs attacking and maiming Ekiti people after a break in 2006, when the governor was impeached for fraud and attacks on opponents.

    “We thought his impeachment trauma in 2006 would have taught him a lesson, but the governor has proved that he cannot survive in a society where the law works.

    “We advise him to come out of hiding and defend himself because we are prepared to give him a fair hearing.

    “That is the reality he must face instead of downplaying serious matter of constitutional consequences.”