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Tag: Kayode Fayemi

  • I leave Fayose to God, Says Fayemi 

    ….Says only EFCC, others can probe him

     

    The Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi on Monday said that he is not interested in probing his predecessor, Ayodele Fayose and that he has left him in the hands God.

    According to him, it is left for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other related bodies to carry out the probe.

    Speaking with State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, he said that he is only looking at the books.

    Read Also:Fayose’s trial: we moved N1.2b cash in three planes, says witness

    He said “Well, I am sure I have never said anything about probe; I only gave hints that I would look into the books prior to my swearing in.

    “Looking into books or account is the duty of any new governor; you need to know what you found on ground; I just talked about visitation panel into the education sector and institutions in the state.

    “There are other sectors in the state; and it will be good for me not to check what we found when we came into office and share that with the citizens of the state.

    “It is just accountability not probe. I am not EFCC; I am not ICPC; there are institutions that are charged with the responsibility to do that and it is entirely up to them if they want to probe the governor or not.

    “It is not my business; I leave the governor to God; I have said that before.’’ he added

    Fayose is being prosecuted by EFCC over 11-count charge of conspiracy and money laundering.

    Fayemi also said that his administration is taking steps that will lead to an increase in school enrollment in all parts of the state.

    According to him, the state government had since introduced free and compulsory education at the primary and secondary levels, to encourage school attendance.

    “One of the very first things we are doing to increase enrollment is to make sure that all fees and levies that were put on the primary and secondary sector are removed. We have returned free education, compulsory and qualitative education to our basic education sector,” he stated.

    He said the steps taken are aimed at restoring the state to its leading position in education in Nigeria.

    The education sector in Ekiti State, he said, has suffered some setbacks in recent time and the State government is doing its best to return the lost glory.

    The Governor however expressed regret that school enrollment has dropped and his administration is working hard to unravel the cause.

    “We do have a tradition of being the intellectual capital of this country but we seem to have lost that edge lately so we are doing what we can to reposition the sector particularly the basic and tertiary sectors.

    “On the tertiary sector we have set up visitation panels in all of the tertiary institutions, to review and  recommend what the critical and challenging issues are and how government should respond to the yearnings of this sector and in the basic education site, we are working hard to encourage enrollment into primary and secondary schools,” he said.

    He went on “We are doing all that we can to encourage more students to come into schools, so we are starting the school feeding programme in Ekiti State in order to ensure that students and kids that are not opportune to be in school are in school.

    “We are also ensuring that we pay salaries regularly because you cannot expect parents who have not received salaries and wages for 6-10 months on one hand and their children are been asked to pay education levy on the other hand to have the capacity to send such children to school and we need to make sure that education, which we see in our party as a right not a privilege should be free at least at the basic level is free,” he said

     

  • Oni suffers setback in bid to unseat Fayemi

    …Abuja judge withdraws from case

     

    Former Ekiti State Governor, Segun Oni suffered a major setback on Monday in his bid to unseat the incumbent Governor, Kayode Fayemi.

    Justice Babatunde Quadri of the Federal High Court, Abuja withdrew on Monday from the hearing of a suit by Oni, querying Fayemi’s eligibility to participate in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary, from which he emerged as the party’s candidate for the last governorship election in the state.

    The judge, who had before now, asked parties whether it was not ideal to have the case decided by a Federal High Court in Ekiti, suddenly announced the transfer of the case on Monday.

    Read Also:Minimum wage: Fayemi canvasses upward review of federal allocation

    Justice Quadri had, on October 29 this year when the case last came up, adjourned to November 19 for hearing.

    Parties, who had expected the hearing of the case, arrived court in the morning.

    The court did not sit until afternoon.

    When the court eventually sat, the judge said he would prefer to transfer the suit, marked: FCH/ABJ/CS/663/2018 to the court’s division in Ekiti for determination.

    The judge said he would not be able to hear and write judgment on the matter within the stipulated time.

    He assured parties that he would facilitate the transfer of the case file by the court’s Registry to Ekiti State because of its urgent nature.

    The judge adjourned the case to November 26 for mention before the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti.

    Oni is, by the suit, challenging the outcome of the primary election that produced Fayemi APC. Oni, who came second, wants to be made the winner.

    He wants the court to, among others, disqualify Fayemi on the grounds that he allegedly did not resign his ministerial appointment as required by law before standing for the primary.

  • Ekiti governorship election dispute: APC opens case Thursday

    …INEC closes case after 16 witnesses, 31 exhibits

     

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) will on Thursday opened its defence in the ongoing hearing of a petition challenging its victory in the governorship election held in Ekiti State on June 14 this year.

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the election, Olusola Kolapo are, by their petition, marked: EPT/ EKS/GOV/01/18 challenging the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare APC’s candidate, Kayode Fayemi as winner of the election.

    INEC is listed as first respondent in the petition, while APC and Fayemi are listed as 2nd and 3rd respondents in the petition being heard by the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which now sits in Court 17, High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Apo, Abuja.

    On Thursday, APC’s lawyer, Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) indicated the party’s readiness to open its defence after lawyer to INEC, Charles Edosomwan (SAN) announced the closure of his client’s case.

    Owonikoko told the tribunal that the APC was ready to open its defence on Thursday. He said the party would make judicious use of the 10 days allocated to it to conduct its defence.

    At the resumption of proceedings on Thursday, Edosomwan tendered more documents before announcing the closure of his client’s case.

    Edosomwan tendered certified true copies of Form EC40G and Form RF40G, documents detailing where the governorship election was cancelled.

    He also tendered Form EC40G for Okemesi 3 Registration Centre and Aramoko Ward 2 in Ekiti West Local Government Area.

    The INEC lawyer equally tendered Form RF40G for Imesi Registration Area and Ilu Omoba Registration Area in Gbonyin LGA.

    Owonikoko and lawyer to Fayemi, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) did not object to the admission, as exhibits, the documents tendered by Edosomwan.

    Lawyer to the PDP and Kolapo, Rowland Otaru (SAN) objected to the admission of the documents and promised to supply his reasons for objecting at the address stage.

    Tribunal’s Chairman, Suleiman Belgore admitted the documents as exhbits, after which he invited the 2nd respondent (APC) to open its case.

    In response to the judge’s invitation, Owonikoko stood up and promised APC’s readiness to commence it’s defence on Thursday.

    Justice Belgore then adjourned to Thursday (November 15).

     

     

  • ASUU carpets Fayemi on earned salary of professor, governor

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has expressed dismay over the statement credited to the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi that the salary of university professor is the same as the earned salary of a governor in the country.

    The union said governor is only been economical with the truth to say  that  “Nigerian University professors earn same salary of N500,000 as him or even more”.

    Governor Kayode Fayemi had in Paris stated that the strike embarked upon by ASUU was needless as the Muhammadu Buhari’s government has done more for education than any other government.

    But in a swift reaction, ASUU noted that Buhari education policy has brought disaster to education.

    According to the Union, Education budget before President Buhari took over in 2015 was above 10percent but Buhari has worsened this by retrogressive allocation that took 2018 education budget to six percent.

    ASUU in a release signed by the Chairman, ASUU University of Ibadan, and made available to newsmen in Ibadan , Dr Deji Omole stated that while the union will not like to be distracted in her struggle for the revitalization of Public education by political opportunists like Governor Fayemi.

    While challenging Fayemi to publish salary and allowances that he collects monthly to back up transparency and accountability claims of the ruling party, Dr Omole noted that no newly promoted professor earns N500, 000 a month.

    Omole noted that a newly promoted professor in slave enclave called Nigerian Universities earns below N400, 000 and will only be able to receive N500, 000 monthly after ten years of becoming a professor and this includes all allowances.

    Read Also: ASUU has fared better under Buhari, says Fayemi

    ASUU said it will be proud if President Buhari during the many presidential diaspora trips will be able to attract any foreign scholar with the poverty wages he pays Nigerian lecturers.

    “It is sad that someone is living on the state resources with his families and countless aides with juicy salaries will not be circumspect in thought. Fake news and propaganda have been the trade mark of the ruling APC. Fayemi’s utterances revealed the mental state of those ruling us. We challenge him to publish what a university professor earns as salaries and allowances and what governors earn and allowances.

    ” If lecturers earn more than governors why did Fayemi run away? Fayemi should tell the world how much he spent on capital grants to EKSU during his first sojourn in office.  EKSU as it is now is more of tetfund university which was a product of ASUU struggle.  He should rather be grateful to ASUU for the regular bailout from tetfund. Fayemi is one of the brain drain the struggle is trying to address because if the university learning environment are conducive enough, Fayemi would have stayed in the academia rather than playing politics of destruction. Nigerians should asked him why he failed to pick up the appointment offered him by as an associate lecturer by university of Ibadan Senate.

    “ASUU has not made monetary issue the main , but her members are entitled to allowances owed them since 2010. We are more concerned with a revitalised university that is adequately funded to attract foreign scholars. Fayemi should attract an international professor and offer to pay him $1500 per month and let us see how many of them he can bring to Nigeria. A person who bought nomination form for N22.5million to become governor and spend billions to campaign with his party listed among those who bought votes, Fayemi should tell lies to his partymen who are not discerning”, the union said.

  • Buhari departs Paris

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday morning departed the Le Bourget Airport in France for Abuja.

    His plane Nigerian Air Force 001 took off from the airport around 11.50 a.m

    He had arrived Paris, France last Friday night to attend the first edition of the Paris Peace Forum scheduled for 11th to 13th of November, 2018.

    The Forum, which was organised by the French Government and a number of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), was based on the idea that international cooperation was key to tackling global challenges and ensuring durable peace.

    Buhari had joined over 70 world leaders, including the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, in discussing contributions towards global peace and underscoring the imperative of collective action.

    He also joined them to commemorate the centenary anniversary of the Armistice signed on 11th of November, 1918 between the Allied Forces and Germany in the forest of Compiegne in France to end the First World War.

    Read Also: Buhari, Osinbajo lash out at restructuring advocates

    Apart from attending a luncheon hosted by President Emmanuel Macron of France in honour of visiting heads of delegations on Sunday, Buhari on Monday had an interactive session with the Nigerian Community in France.

    He left Paris with Governors Aminu Masari (Katsina), Willie Obiano (Anambra) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), President’s Aide De Camp, Lt. Col Ml Abubakar, among other top government officials.

    Those who bid the President farewell at the airport included the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; and the National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd) among other top government officials.

  • Varsity teachers have fared better under Buhari, says Fayemi

    EKITI State Governor Kayode Fayemi has declared that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) needed not to have embarked on its strike.

    According to him, the union and tertiary institutions have fared better under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    Fayemi spoke with reporters in Paris at the end of the President’s interactive session with Nigerians living in France.

    With competing demands for the national resources by various sectors, he said ASUU could not have everything it wants.

    He said: “If you talk about tertiary education, ASUU is on strike, but you ask yourself, ‘why is ASUU on strike?’ ASUU claimed that it is on strike because it wants improvement in the fortunes of education in Nigeria and that government has not lived up to expectations.

    “I made bold to say that no government has done as much as this government has done. Not just for ASUU, but for tertiary education in our country.

    “Is it enough? Absolutely, it’s not going to be enough. We have to keep doing more.

    “But ask yourself what was the average wage in the university system before. A university professor earn more than me as a governor. My salary as a governor is N500,000. Most university professors earn about the same amount, if not more.

    “Yes, you may argue that there are other opportunities available, there are also other opportunities that are available that are not being taken advantage of by our academics. I can say a little bit about this because this is my terrain.

    “I do not think that ASUU on its own strength can argue that government has not done well. There is hardly any institution in Nigeria today, including states universities, that have not had the benefit of intervention.

    “It is either the government is building an auditorium or rehabilitating a laboratory, or improving on students hostels in virtually all the universities as I speak to you. That’s what TETFUND does via their intervention funds. That again is not the complete solution.” he said

    The governor said there is need to revisit a whole lot of things about education policy.

    He said: “Can we continue to maintain a tuition-free education in Nigeria, in even Federal universities? What UNESCO pushes for, what most universal human rights positions argue for, is that basic education should be free. Basic education is free in Nigeria right up to secondary schools.

    “As for free university education, I’m not so sure that is what we really need right now. But in order to address that, we also must elevate the place of technical and vocational education in our country so that we don’t see those that go for technical education as inferior to those who go to universities.

     

  • ASUU has fared better under Buhari, says Fayemi  

    …Says ASUU needs not go on strike

     

     

    Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi on Monday declared that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) needed not to have embarked on strike action.

    According to him, the union and tertiary institutions in the country have fared better under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Fayemi, spoke with journalists in Paris at the end of the President’s interactive session with Nigerians living in France.

    Read Also:Parents, students appeal to ASUU to end strike 

    With competing demands for the national resources by the various sectors, he said that ASUU cannot have everything it wants.

    He said; “If you talk about tertiary education, ASUU is on strike, but you ask yourself, why is ASUU on strike. ASUU claimed that it is on strike because it wants improvement in the fortunes of education in Nigeria and that government has not lived up to expectations.

    “I made bold to say that no government has done as much as this government has done. Not just for ASUU, but for tertiary education in our country.

    “Is it enough? Absolutely, it’s not going to be enough. We have to keep doing more.

    “But ask yourself what was the average wage in the University system before. A university professor earn more than me as a governor. My salary as a governor is N500,000. Most university professors earn about the same amount if not more.

    “Yes, you may argue that there are other opportunities available, there are also other opportunities that are available that are not being taken advantage of by our academics. I can say a little bit about this because this is my terrain.

    “I do not think that ASUU on its own strength can argue that government has not done well. There is hardly any institution in Nigeria today, including states universities, that have not had the benefit of intervention.

    “It is either the government is building an auditorium or rehabilitating a laboratory, or improving on students hostels in virtually all the universities as I speak to you. That’s what TETFUND does via their intervention funds. That again is not the complete solution.” he said

    The governor said that there is need to revisit a whole lot of things about education policy in the country.

    He added “Can we continue to maintain a tuition-free education in Nigeria, in even Federal universities. What UNESCO pushes for, what most universal human rights positions argue for, is that basic education should be free. Basic education is free in Nigeria right up to secondary schools.

    “As for free university education, I’m not so sure that is what we really need right now. But in order to address that, we also must elevate the place of technical and vocational education in our country so that we don’t see those that go for technical education as inferior to those who go to universities.

    “Our educational system should focus on functionality rather than just certificates. I think this is what ASUU and other drivers of change in our economy should be arguing for.

    “Can we add more resources to education budget?  Absolutely we can. But when you have competing needs, you cannot have everything that you want. And this is something ASUU needs to know,” he said

    He also pointed out that education is the responsibility of the three tiers of government and not just that of the Federal Government.

    “When we talk about 5% of the budget going into education, we often do not take into account recurrent expenditure, we focus on capital expenditure.

    “Secondly, we exclusively think that the Federal Government alone is responsible for education. Education is a responsible across the board and there are states budgets that must be factored into that total picture.

    “Also there is local governments budget that must be factored into that picture because basic education is the responsibility at the lower level of government.” he said

    Speaking on President Muhammadu Buhari’s participation at the Peace Forum in Paris, he noted that peace is very important to development.

    “I feel it’s appropriate for President Macron to invite our President for the forum,” he said

  • Ikogosi Abandonment: A destruction of Ekiti heritage – Fayemi

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has described the alleged abandonment of the famous Ikogosi Warm Spring resort by his predecessor, Mr. Ayo Fayose as a “flagrant and brazen destruction of Ekiti heritage.”

    The governor said a project that generates revenue into the coffers of the government should not have been deliberately left to rot away because of petty politics.

    He regretted that more than half of the 110 rooms in the resort are no longer habitable promising to do everything possible to revive tourist destination.

    The governor contended that it was wrong for the Fayose administration to abandon the Ikogosi Warm Spring and Gossy Water Factory because the projects were midwifed by previous administrations.

    Describing government as a continuum, Fayemi promised to maintain and not to abandon projects executed by Fayose including the Ado-Ekiti flyover, International Academy for Gifted Children in Afao, new Governor’s Office, among others.

    Fayemi spoke on Monday while paying a visit to the tourist centre on the first day of inspection of projects which kicked off with a tour to Ekiti West Local Government Area.

    The governor also visited the Arinta Waterfalls site in nearby Ipole Iloro, in the Ekiti tourism corridor in his bid to put the facilities back to life to boost Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

    FAYEMI AT IKOGOSI WARM SPRING

    The first administration of Fayemi spent billions of Naira for the first phase of the redevelopment of Ikogosi Tourist resort in partnership with a South African firm, Mantis Group.

    The Ikogosi Warm Spring thereafter hosted many local and international conferences including the 2013 National Media Merit Award.

    Fayemi said: “I want to express my anger with what I have seen here today. I am really upset. You all witnessed the spate of development here in 2014, you knew the patronage this facility was enjoying.

    “What I met here today means to me a destruction of Ekiti’s heritage, destruction of our commonwealth. It was unfortunate that our government had become so careless to allow this major tourist attraction and revenue earners for Ekiti to destroy and decay.

    “This could have been avoided if the last government had maintained the facilities therein, because it involved Ekiti’s money. It is not only the leadership that was culpable, the management of this place too should be held accountable, though I agree that leadership defines everything. Now, everything is in shambles.

    “But my belief has been that a major tourist attraction like this shouldn’t be left in the hands of government alone to manage.”

    According to him, the alleged abandonment of Gossy Water Factory produced in conjunction with United African Company (UAC) forced its product from the market.

    He added: “Gossy water is associated with Ekiti, is a brand that was known to belong and part of Ekiti. Wherever you see the water, you will think of Ikogosi Warm Spring, so we are going to bring it back to live.

    “Apart from the fact that the facilities in this resort had damaged, the roads to this place are impassable, particularly the Aramoko-Erinjiyan-Ikogosi Road. Half of the 110 rooms in this resort are not habitable, this is unacceptable to us.

    “This is not what Ekiti was known for, this is not what we are, because we used to manage the little we have .

    ONE OF DILAPIDATED STRUCTURES AT IKOGOSI
    ONE OF DILAPIDATED STRUCTURES AT IKOGOSI

    “That the immediate past government doesn’t responsible for the turnaround of this resort doesn’t mean it should be abandoned.

    “I believe the immediate past government ought to improve on the development we brought here before we left in 2014 and not to allow it to damage.

    “I can’t, because of politics, cancel the Gifted Academy in Afao Ekiti, I can’t demolish the flyover and the new governor’s office built by the past administration, I can only improve on them and that is what governance is all about.

    “The projects of this state belong to the generality of Ekiti people and not to the governors and every government must neither abandon them nor allow them to destroy just because they are not the initiators.“

  • Court strikes out Ekiti LG chairmen’s suit against Fayemi

    An Ekiti State High Court on Friday struck out a suit filed by the sixteen local government chairmen seeking an order to restrain Governor Kayode Fayemi from removing them from office.

    The suit was filed by the council chairmen under the aegis of the state chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) who are members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    Justice Abiodun Adesodun struck out the suit following a notice of discontinuance filed by their counsel, Mr. Ezekiel Agunbiade.

    The notice of discontinuance was consequent upon the notice of preliminary objection filed by counsel to the defendants.

    The defendants in the suit are Dr. Kayode Fayemi (1st), Governor of Ekiti State (2nd), Attorney General, (3rd), Speaker (4th) and House of Assembly (4th).

    The 1st and 2nd defendants were represented by Mr. Ibrahim Olarewaju and Mr. Tajudeen Akingbolu while Mr. Kabir Akingbolu appeared for the 3rd defendants.

    The 4th and 5th defendants were represented by Mr. Adeoye Aribasoye.

    The defendants filed the preliminary objection to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to hear the suit on grounds that the action of the plaintiffs was speculative, preemptive, vexatious and unmeritorious.

    The preliminary objection was also anchored on the fact that no cause of action had arisen on the fate of the council chairmen at the time the case was filed.

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday dismissed the appeal filed by the state government against the judgment of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) which nullified the dissolution of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) set up by Fayemi during his first tenure.

    The NICN verdict upturned the dissolution of SIEC led by Mrs. Bosede Adelusi and other statutory commissions during Fayemi’s first regime by former Governor Ayo Fayose when their tenure was yet to lapse.

    The court further ordered Fayose to pay salaries and allowances of the commission chairmen and members from the date of their dissolution to the end of their five-year tenure.

    Fayose challenged the NICN judgment at the Court of Appeal but the appeal was withdrawn by the new Attorney General, Mr. Wale Fapohunda, after which it was dismissed by the appellate court.

    The withdrawal of the appeal now leaves the SIEC led by Mrs. Adelusi as the state electoral agency recognized by law.

    It will be recalled that after dissolving the SIEC empanelled by Fayemi during his first term, Fayose set up a new state electoral agency led by former Chief Judge, Justice Kayode Bamisile in 2015.

    The Bamisile-led SIEC had conducted two local government elections including the one that brought the current set of council chairmen and councilors to office.

    The striking out of the suit now leaves the future of the LG chairmen hanging in the balance.

     

  • Fayemi inaugurates new appointees

    The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Monday inaugurated four new members of the State Executive Council with a charge on them to immediately swing into action and offer their best to the people.

    Speaking at a brief ceremony held at the Osuntokun Pavilion, Government House Grounds, Dr. Fayemi said the new cabinet members were appointed based on their track record, expertise and experience, and as such they must immediately settle down in office and inject new ideas to reinvigorate and re-energize government machinery to the overall benefit of the people.

    Addressing the appointees, the governor said their immediate mandate was to correct whatever needs correction as well as discharge their duties with fairness courtesies to everyone.

    The governor said, “You will recall that at the inauguration of this government, I made a declaration of our cardinal programmes to be anchored on the four pillars of Social Investment; Knowledge Economy; Infrastructure and Industrial Development; and Agriculture and Rural Development. I therefore wish to admonish the newly inaugurated appointees that much confidence has been reposed in them and what is expected of them is total commitment and dedication to Ekiti state and the attainment of these four cardinal programmes.

    “We must all work together to make genuine efforts at reclaiming our land. By the time you resume at your respective offices, you may discover alarming facts of the current state of affairs. I urge that you must swing into immediate action to correct whatever needs correction as a admonish that you must discharge yourselves with fairness courtesies to all and sundry.

    “As you are inaugurated today with your different portfolios, let me hasten to tell you that high performance is expected of all of you in the discharge of the duties of your various offices, particularly considering the peculiar situation of the state.”

    Read Also: Fayemi, Egbeyemi and second phase of ‘rescue mission’

    The newly appointed cabinet members are Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Wale Fapohunda; Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Oladapo Kolawole; Secretary to the State Government, Mr Biodun Oyebanji and Chief of Staff, Mr Biodun Omoleye.

    Fayemi used the occasion to assure everyone that the process of appointment was a continuous one adding that all strata of Ekiti community would be represented.

    Responding on behalf of the appointees, Omoleye thanked Governor Fayemi for finding them worthy to be part of a robust administration, assuring that they would key into the vision and mission of government and offer nothing but the best to move Ekiti forward.

    At the event were the Deputy Governor of Ekiti state, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi,former Vice Chancellor of federal University, Otuoke, Prof Bolaji Aluko; state chairman of APC, barrister Paul Omotosho;  APC party leaders, traditional rulers and top government officials