Tag Archives: FAYEMI

Ekiti Assembly issues warrant of arrest on Fayemi over alleged N40b fraud

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The Ekiti State House of Assembly has pressed further its running battle against the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Kayode Fayemi, ordering the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to arrest him for allegedly misappropriating N40 billion of state funds when he held sway as governor.

The chamber also directed the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Wilson Inalegwu and other security agencies, including the International Police (Interpol), to immediately arrest Fayemi.

At a press conference yesterday in Ado Ekiti, the speaker, Kola Oluwawole as well as chairman, House Committee on Information, Samuel Omotoso and Leader, Tunji Akinyele, said the warrant was to afford the minister the opportunity to clarify some of the allegations of profligacy brought against him.

However, the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) described the order as a joke taken too far.

In a statement, the party’s state spokesman, Taiwo Olatunbosun, described the lawmakers as a “set of idle certificate forgers who are being pushed into issuing a bench warrant against Fayemi by Governor Ayodele Fayose who has usurped their powers by declaring himself the speaker of the House of Assembly.”

Olatunbosun challenged the lawmakers to move freely in Ado Ekiti or at their constituencies, noting: “Most of them are in hiding in the Government House because security agents are looking for them to answer charges of certificate forgery and so, it is baffling that suspected criminals wanted for certificate forgery would be the ones being lined up by the governor to help him divert attention from alleged serial crimes by issuing arrest warrant on an innocent man over trumped-up charges.

“We wonder when it becomes the lot of fugitives to sit in judgment to persecute an innocent, law-abiding citizen and a responsible leader like Fayemi.”

One day after suing Fayose’s aide, Ekiti lawmakers summon Fayemi.

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The Ekiti state house of assembly has asked Kayode Fayemi, former governor of the state, minister to appear before it on Tuesday.

The assembly said it decided to invite him over the alleged diversion of N850 million State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) counterpart fund during his tenure as governor.

Fayemi is currently the minister of solid minerals development. This will be the third time they will summon him.

During its plenary on Thursday, the Ekiti house said the former governor was responsible for the set back witnessed in the state’s education sector.

“The house is empowered by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under Section 129, Sub section 6, to issue a warrant of arrest to bring him before the court,” Samuel Omotosho, a member of the house said.

Contributing to the debate, Ekundayo Akinleye, alleged that the “damage” done by Fayemi was responsible for the “high level of illiteracy in the state.”

On her part, Titilayo Owolabi said the former governor should be compelled to obey the summon as “nobody is above the law’’.

On Wednesday, Fayemi filed a N3 billion law suit against Omotoso and Lere Olayinka, spokesman to Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti governor.

The duo had alleged that Fayemi took N1.5 billion from Ekiti treasury and gave it to Muhammadu Buhari, the then presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (AP).

 

Source: The Cable

Kayode Fayemi drags Fayose’s spokesman to court for libel.

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Kayode Fayemi, minister of solid minerals development, has taken Lere Olayinka, spokesman of Ayodele Fayose, to court over “libellous” statements made against him.

Fayemi also sued Samuel Omotoso, a member of Ekiti state house of assembly.

On July 6, 2016, the duo during a live television programme allegedly said Fayemi took N1.5 billion from Ekiti treasury and gave it to Muhammadu Buhari, the then presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Olayinka also alleged that Fayemi spent the state’s funds to build a private university for his benefit in Ghana.

However, in a suit marked 6/577/2016 and filed at a high court in Abuja, Fayemi sought N3 billion in damages.

The former Ekiti governor also wants a retraction of the statements, a public apology to be published and aired on Ekiti state television and Channels television.

Fayemi said the comments of the duo exposed him to “public ridicule, odium, opprobrium, embarrassment and unprecedented disrepute”.

He described it as “incalculable and tremendous injury” to his image and personality as an “international figure”.

The minister prayed the court for an injunction restraining the defendants from making such kind of statements against him.

A date is yet to be fixed for hearing of the case.

“Quit whining, no one owes you anything”, Fayemi tell Nigerian graduates.

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Kayode Fayemi, minister of solid minerals development, has admonished Nigerian graduates to quit complaining and stop waiting for the government to solve their problems.

He said this on Monday while delivering the 49th convocation lecture of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka.

Fayemi urged the undergraduates to work hard to achieve their dreams and stop waiting for handouts.

“Quit whining, no one owes you anything. The earlier we realise that no one owes us anything, the better for us and the more prepared we would be to face life’s challenges,” Fayemi said.

“Don’t think you are entitled to a job, just because of your parents’ influence or what they have or your good grades.

“The only guarantee you have in this life is what you do for yourself with the grace God has bestowed on us all.

“You have to be prepared to bend backward and do what you might consider to be beneath you, because of the bigger picture.”

The minister also said he had to work hard to get to where he is today, noting that he’s done several menial jobs “to survive”.

“When you consider my resume today, you might see the prestigious organizations I have been privileged to work with.

“What you need to know however, is that as UNILAG graduate and a postgraduate student in the UK, I have also driven taxis and worked as a security guard, among several other menial jobs I did in the past to survive.”

Akeredolu denies receiving N1bn from Fayemi to appoint wife SSG

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The governor-elect of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, has debunked an online report which alleged that the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, paid N1 billion to the incoming governor to appoint his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, as Secretary to the State Government, SSG, in Ondo State.

Refuting this allegation in a statement by his media adviser, Yemi Olowolabi, the governor-elect stated that the tone of the allegation represented the stream of earlier ones being launched in Ekiti State against former Governor, Kayode Fayemi, stressing that “acrimonious, wicked and irresponsible publications have no place in Ondo State politics.”

An online platform had alleged that Erelu Fayemi donated trailer-loads of rice to Akeredolu during the campaign while the minister donated N1bn to the APC candidate to enable him pressure the governor-elect to seek SSG position for his wife in form of compensation.

But Akeredolu denied receiving such donations from any one, including the Fayemis, urging mischief-makers to leave the minister and his wife out of unfounded allegations aimed at tarnishing their names.

According to the statement, “It is regrettable that some lazy and irresponsible individuals can just sit down in a corner to cook wicked allegations against innocent people.

“This trend of allegations against Fayemi started in Ekiti State after Captain Sagir Koli revealed in an audio tape how Governor Ayodele Fayose allegedly stole himself to power through treason, which the governor denied until principal actors started confessing to the crime.

“Since then, there has been a trend in which Fayemi is painted as a super rich who donated N1.5b to President Muhammadu Buhari’s election campaign and now N1b to Akeredolu from his bottomless pocket as if a billion naira is what can be wrapped in an envelope and dashed out as a gift.

“Neither Fayemi nor his wife has ever demanded any position from Akeredolu. Both Fayemi and Akeredolu abhor such as activists. In fact, the woman is at present preoccupied with her women advocacy job around the world, so much that she would have no time for local political activities.”

Asking mischief-makers to leave the Fayemis out of the pains of rejection at poll, Olowolabi said: “We appreciate the fact that the pains of post-defeat trauma can be debilitating and sometimes malignant, such trauma should not degenerate into taking away our humanity to launch wicked lies against innocent people.

“Or is it not laughable that some irresponsible irritants would present a picture allegedly in Ondo State that Fayemi’s wife used to attend night club in Ado-Ekiti and would want decent people to believe such a disingenuous and senseless allegation when it is common knowledge that Erelu Bisi Fayemi is a world-class woman of grace and honour, completely unsusceptible to the antics and pleasure principle of merry-makers in government who have turned the Government House to a play-house for revellers and sensualists.

“Fayemi has no millions let alone billion to be given out for an election victory that can go either way and he and his wife have never, never spoken to Akeredolu about ceding any position to anyone. Neither has Erelu Fayemi spoken about any senatorial ambition.

“The devious plot to present a malicious story as coming from APC in Ondo State is not only condemnable, it is also a shame to the writers who have shown themselves as lacking in integrity, honour and grit to squarely resolve the problems that plague them instead of maligning innocent people to vent their anger over election loss.”

Gov. Amosun, Fayemi Planning Massive Clampdown On AD Leaders, Party Claims.

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A chieftain of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Ondo State, Barrister Tolu Babaleye, alleged on Tuesday a secret plot by the Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, and the Minister of Solid Minerals, Kayode Fayemi, to have members of the party arrested commencing the same day.

 

Speaking during a press conference, Babaleye said the plot was perfected in Akure on Saturday after the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign grand finale which was attended by President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of the governorship electoral battle.

 

Babaleye said the plan is to arrest key leaders of the party, including the Director-General of the Olusola Oke campaign outfit, and incarcerate them until after the election.  He stated that the opposing APC adopted the plan after they saw defeat staring them in the face as a result of what he described as the “soaring” popularity of the AD candidate.

 

He said Buhari as a democrat should not allow desperadoes, hiding under the presidential seal, to commit an electoral heist that would implicate his government, and called on the APC-led federal government to rein in their members to forestall the country’s democracy from being truncated.

 

“President Buhari is a democrat and we have unflagging confidence in his ability to conduct free, fair and credible polls in Ondo State.,” he said.  “But with the way things are going, it seems Amosun, Fayemi and others are desperate to ensure that the dream of Ondo people is shattered and this will cast a cloudy impression about the ability of the federal government to hold credible elections.”

 

Describing the plan, he said that as a prelude to the APC’s plan, ex-governor Fayemi had deployed to Ondo State all his foot-soldiers, including those who served under him as Chief of Staff and Special Assistants during his tenure in Ekiti to prepare a propitious ground to effectively hatch their sinister plot.

 

“Just like we have always been reiterating, these anti-democratic forces will meet a stiff resistance in the collective resolve of Ondo people, who are ready for a free and fair poll that would throw up a candidate that represents the wishes of the people.”

 

Babaleye asserted that the plan is to arrest the AD’s key leaders, including those perceived to be giving tacit supports to Oke, and take them to Abuja for prosecution in order to destabilize his party’s “well-oiled and well organized campaign outfit,” which he characterized as a hurricane blowing across Ondo State.

 

He declared: “The people’s power is mightier than any power. The coalition of evil forces against Oke, who is now the God and people’s candidate will fail. It is sad that those who [were] victims of electoral rigging in the past are now constituting themselves as the troubles of Israel and the full wrath of God awaits them.

 

“No matter the evil machinations, Oke stands like a rock of Gibraltar. He is unshakable because democracy is a game of numbers and we have the people behind us”, he concluded.

Why I can never disrespect Tinubu — Kayode Fayemi

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The Minister of Solid Minerals and Steel Development on Sunday said he would never abuse or disrespect former Lagos Governor, Bola Tinubu, because the politician remained a leader he would continue to hold in high esteem.

 

“Dr. Fayemi subscribes to the highest moral and ethical standard of the Yoruba and as such would not speak evil or seek to demean Asiwaju Tinubu or any of our respected leaders under no circumstance whatsoever,” the minister said via a statement by his special assistant on media, Olayinka Oyebode.

 

“For the avoidance of doubt, Dr. Fayemi has always held and will continue to hold Asiwaju Tinubu in high esteem.

 

“The bond that exists between them dates back to decades of cordial relationship and no peddler of falsehood or group of blackmailers hiding under the guise of politics can put asunder.”

 

The minister was reacting to a false report on a website, with headline : “Tinubu as a leader is responsible for his misfortunes, says Fayemi.”

 

“The highly mischievous and malicious report is nothing but a tissue of lies,” Mr. Fayemi said in his statement, sent to PREMIUM TIMES Sunday.

 

“It must be stressed that Dr. Kayode Fayemi never granted any interview where he made disparaging comments about the person of our highly revered leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.”

 

There are widespread speculations in Nigeria that Messrs Tinubu and Fayemi belonged to different camps in the governing All Progressives Congress.

 

Mr. Fayemi was a protege of the former Lagos governor, but the two fell apart after the last governorship election in Ekiti State, which the minister, then an incumbent, lost.

 

The real reason for the collapse of the cordial relationship between the two politicians remained unclear.

 

But there are suggestions that Mr. Tinubu accused Mr. Fayemi of disloyalty.

 

On his part, Mr. Fayemi was said to have become angry with Mr. Tinubu for not supporting him enough in the governorship election he lost to Ayo Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party.

FG approves release of N30bn intervention fund for solid minerals – Minister

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The Minister of Mines and Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said on Tuesday in Abuja that the Federal Government had approved the release N30 billion intervention fund for molid Minerals development.

Fayemi disclosed this at the fifth Extractive Industries Conference held by CSR-in-Action.

The theme of the event was: “Revisiting the Nigerian Economy beyond Oil: Prospects for a thriving Export-Driving Extractive Sector.”

The minister, represented by Prof. Okey Onyejekwu, his Senior Special Adviser, said the fund would be used for geosciences data generation, improve mines-field security and monitoring.

According to him, this is in line with the enforcement of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act of 2007.

He explained that the ministry was partnering International Development Partners via AFDB, the World Bank, UNDP, UNIDO and donor agencies such as DFID and Ford Foundation to ensure development of the sector.

He said that the ministry had formulated a new roadmap for the sector since his appointment one year ago.

According to him, there has been an improved funding for the sector through activation of the 0.5 per cent mining sector component of Natural Resources Development Fund.

The minister promised to ensure the nation’s development partners were engaged to implement MoUs, especially those on geosciences data generation, integration, storage and dissemination.

He said government would ensure there was an improved revenue generation, collection through identification and plugging of leakages.

Fayemi announced plans to review the royalty rates to reflect current commodity prices and also review mineral licensing fees to discourage mineral title speculation.

He said the ministry would target five per cent contribution to the GDP by the year 2020 as against the current 0.34 per cent.

Fayemi promised to facilitate infrastructure development through collaboration with relevant ministries, departments and agencies.

He said the current works on the standard gauge rail line from Warri to Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and Nigeria Iron Ore Mining Company Limited, Itakpe, were key to Nigeria‘s industrialisation.

According to him, the resolution of litigation and conclusion of final stages of mediation meant that Ajaokuta Steel Plant would soon be freed of encumbrances and government would give it to a competent investor.

The ministry had also revoked non-performing mineral titles in line with the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, to make the area financially and technically viable for investors.

Earlier, Waziri Adio, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiatives, said Nigeria’s problem was not its dependence on oil but the leaders refused to save for the rainy days.

According to him, Nigeria’s leadershp in the oil boom era failed to invest in other sectors like petrochemical which would have helped to diversify the economy.

Adio said: “If the nation should explore the economic recession well, diversify to solid minerals and do not make the same mistakes it made in oil sector, our economy will grow.”

The convener of the event, Bekeme Masade, Executive Director, CSR-in-Action, said SITEI conference started five years ago with the Deputy High Commission of Canada.

She explained that SITEI envisioned a platform that would unite the key drivers for change, not only within the industry but for the entire nation.

N40bn fraud: Fayose’s antics to deceive Nigerians – APC

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All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti state has described the allegation of fraud against former Governor Kayode Fayemi by the House of Assembly, as an attempt by Governor Ayodele Fayose to shift attention from his alleged crimes to blackmail the federal government and put the former governor in bad light.

It said Nigerians were not deceived by such antics to take attention from the “flurry of confessions in courts” exposing how Fayose allegedly participated in frauds to win his election.

The House of Assembly members had last Thursday approached the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with a copy of a petition alleging that Fayemi misappropriated N40 billion in projects execution between 2010 and 2014.

But reacting in a statement at the weekend by the Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the party said it was too late to divert attention from the revelations on alleged fraud perpetrated by Fayose to fix his election.

Accusing Fayose of being desperate to divert attention from his investigation over alleged election fraud and the same time put Fayemi in bad light, Olatunbosun wondered why it took more than two years before the governor realised that the House of Assembly was the vehicle through which he could transmit a petition to the EFCC.

He also slammed the members of the House of Assembly, accusing them of “ineptitude, mediocrity and slave boys of a reckless and lawless governor.”

He said: “The lawmakers does not having constitutional powers to act as petitioners in matter that concerns only the executive arm of government, majority of the members do not possess educational qualifications that can prepare them for the duties they were elected to perform, hence their directionless conduct and acting as tools of the governor while they suffer in penury.”

FG, World Bank Collaborating To Review Nigeria’s Privatised Mining Enterprises – Fayemi

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The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, says the World Bank is working closely with the Federal Government to review the country’s privatised mining enterprises.

Fayemi, who made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said the collaboration was with a view to making the privatised enterprises functional.

He said the bank would also help Nigeria exploit its minerals to achieve its planned diversification of the economy.

 

“We are also working with them (World Bank) to take a clue from them from what obtains in other jurisdiction in terms of legal and regulatory framework and to help us review all of the privatised assets.

“We have assets in mining that have been privatised. What is really happening to them now?

“Katsina Steel Rolling Mill is there, Jos Steel Rolling Mill is there, Oshogbo steel Rolling Mill is there, Itakpe is there, Delta is there.

“What is the asset? All of the assets that we have privatised may not have been under our government, but Nigeria has privatised them.

“What has happened to them? What is their status now? How do we take it forward?

“So, we are working with BPE. BPE has just given me an analysis of the status of the privatised assets. It is now up to us to decide.

“We sold this to you 10 years ago and you have not done anything with it.

“What is in the law that will allow us to hold you accountable for what you have bought that you have not utilised in the interest of the Nigerian people.

“It not just enough for you to purchase an asset and then you go to sleep.’’

 

Fayemi said the World Bank would also assist the ministry to establish a Chamber of Mines in the country to involve big players in the sector.

He said the ministry had a regulatory responsibility to help organise the sector better, adding that it was negotiating with the World Bank to strengthen the industry.

According to him, the Federal Government has identified exploration of the mineral resources as key to achieving sustainable development.

 

“They are also (World Bank) working with us on exploration which we have identified as a major priority.

“Nigeria is largely a greenfield in mining; we have not done any serious exploration.

“Many of the things you hear that Nigeria possesses, people usually pick them, it is alluvial – it is only surface mining that we do.

“We have not dogged 300 metres in most parts of Nigeria not to talk of 1,000 metres and what you see on the surface is an indication of what you have under the ground.

“And if you don’t do the necessary exploration, you don’t get a sense of what you have.

“And as I have indicated recently, we don’t have country around us Ghana, Burkina Faso spending 100, millions of dollars on exploration and we are spending peanut- 200,000 dollars, it doesn’t work so World Bank is also assisting us with exploration activities.’’

 

Fayemi said the ministry had developed a road map, according to the diversification task given to it by the Federal Government.

He said the road map for the sector stated the vision, focus and the strategies that could be used to grow the solid minerals sector.

The minister said the committee set up to produce the road map came up with a robust document, which outlined priority areas and how to mine in commercial quantity.

Fayemi said mining was about exploration, adding: “you can say you have 200 minerals; it doesn’t mean much, if you cannot dig it and produce it commercially.’’

 

(NAN)

Amaechi, Fayemi, Others Want Youths In Politics

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Nigerian youths have been tasked to participate more in the political system of Nigeria in order to witness a developmental growth under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal government. Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, who gave the admonition at the weekend in Akure, the Ondo State capital, said the importance of youths to Nigeria democratic system cannot be shunned.

Amaechi, who was also represented by the Senator representing Ondo Central Senatorial district, Ajayi Borroffice, noted that the youths would not be neglected in the present government of the APC. The Minister spoke at a youth programme tagged: “The Roles of the Youth as Progressive Change Agents” organised by All Progessives Congress (APC) Youth League, Southwest Zone of the country. He said that more participation of the youths in the politics would help enhance them to map out strategies and ideas that could fast-track the change mantra of the All progressives Congress led government. “We need more youths in all legislative houses both at state level and federal level because they are agents of progressive change”

Amaechi said. He added that over 70 per cent of Nigerians were youths who have various potentials and could contribute to the development of the country but expressed dismay that most of them were unemployed. The Transport Minister, however, noted that the incumbent All Progressives Congress at the federal level was fully determined to make amendment and provide more jobs for the youths in the country. “If we do not start to build on youths now for future, then Nigeria will be in danger and it is left for our leaders to use youths in driving development and goals.

“There are characteristics of youths that must be employed to make the future brighter,” he said. Earlier, Minister of Mine and Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said that the youths should constitute themselves into opinion groups that would shape the country for better. Fayemi, who was represented by Mr Abiodun Omoleye, added that they should prepare for leadership role and not be used as political thugs, saying that they should stand up for their right because leadership starts now.

The Southwest coordinator of APC Youth League, Adeoye Aribasoye, stated that youths should not be used and dumped by politicians after election but be engaged in profitable business that could promote enhance their potentials.

Credit: DailyTimes

Fayemi Seeks America’s Help To Develop Solid Minerals Sector

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The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Fayemi Kayode, is requesting the assistance of the United States of America for the development of the sector.

He has asked the American government to provide technical assistance as well as create international market for produce as the federal government is determined to develop the sector to provide alternatives to the nation’s dwindling oil revenue.

Meanwhile, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr James Entwistle, during a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, gave an assurance of the cooperation of the American Geological Survey.

Credit: ChannelsTV

Kayode Fayemi, holds thanksgiving over his ministerial appointment

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Minister of Solid Minerals, Kayode Fayemi and his wife Bisi held a thanksgiving service at the St. Martins Catholic Church, Isan -Ekiti to appreciate God on his appointment as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Former governors of Ekiti state, Niyi Adebayo and Segun Oni were in attendance. Continue to see more photos…

Fayemi’s Ministerial Appointment Means Nothing To Us- Ekiti PDP

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The Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has restated that it was not in any way rattled or suffer any fear with  the
appointment of ex-governor Kayode Fayemi  as a Minister by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, the  party’s Publicity Secretary, Jackson Adebayo,  said  Fayemi as a governor  allegedly plunged Ekiti
into a huge debt of N76 billion, saying this is still fresh in the minds of the populace .

The PDP spokesman added that some of the bad policies allegedly initiated by Fayemi would make it difficult for the ex-governor to
influence anything in the politics of the State, even if elected  a president.

Adebayo added that  it was  a great  foolhardiness,   for APC to be expecting something spectacular from Fayemi  as a minister, having
failed to influence the party in a positive manner, even as an incumbent governor.

Credit: ThisDay

Fayose Asks Ekiti Senators To Support Fayemi’s Ministerial Nomination

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Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has asked Ekiti state lawmakers to ensure his predecessor and ministerial nominee, Kayode Fayemi have a hitch free screening exercise at the floor of the senate come 13th October 2015 when screening of the country’s ministerial nominees will commence. Fayose made the call while speaking with student leaders of Ekiti origin at the conference hall of the governor’s office yesterday October 7th.

 “Ekiti is my number one priority, I called all the house of reps and senators that went to Abuja from here, some people petitioned the national assembly, stating how Fayemi sunk Ekiti into heavy debt, I have told the members not to do that.
It is God that judge people, not we. You must support him there. If a child would die, it shouldn’t be from the mother. They should not go to the house and oppose Kayode Fayemi, NO, they must never do that. An Ekiti man is an Ekiti man. I appeal to everybody, you must support him. All former ministers from here in the time past practically really have nothing to show because we pull one another down, we pull one another down… We must not pull them down. If they are behaving like that, we must live a better life. Promotion does not come from man but from God Almighty”he said.

Ministerial list: Fashola, Amaechi, Ngige, Onu, Aisha Alhassan, Fayemi, Malami Abubakar, Kachikwu, 12 others make list

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Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday received the ministerial nominees list at about 4:56pm from the Presidency but said the content of the presidential communication would be read during plenary next week Tuesday.

The Senate had adjourned plenary at 2:00pm on Wednesday till Tuesday, October 6.

21 names were contained in the list, according to a report by Punch Newspaper which read:

“The PUNCH learnt that a former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola; and a former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, made the list.

Also said to be on the list are Kayode Fayemi, a former governor of Ekiti State; a former Governor of Anambra State, Chris Ngige; and a one-time Governor of Abia State, Ogbonaya Onu.

Malami Abubakar, SAN, a former National Legal Adviser to the defunct Congress for Progressives Change; Aisha Alhassan, a former governorship candidate of the APC in Taraba State; and Amina Mohammed, a special adviser to the Secretary-General of the United nations, Ban Ki-Moon, also made the ministerial list. Same for a former finance commissioner in Ogun State, Kunle Adeosun.

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Ibe Kachikwu, is said to be on the list, perhaps to combine his headship of the NNPC with junior petroleum minister. portfolio. Buhari has already announced himself as the substantive Minister of Petroleum.

The Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, in company with the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang, delivered the list in a sealed envelope to the Senate President in his office.”

Fayemi Diverted N4.1 Billion Ekiti Workers’ Pay To APC, Says PDP

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The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekiti has raised fresh allegations again former Governor of the State, Kayode Fayemi, accusing him of diverting N4.1billion from workers entitlements to his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, while he was in office.

In a statement on Sunday, the PDP said the discovery was made during the recent workers’ verification exercise.

The allegation is coming few days after the APC accused the governor, Ayodele Fayose, of appropriating to himself N720 million as his severance allowance in arrears.

The PDP statement, which was signed by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Jackson Adebayo, alleged that Mr. Fayemi used ghost workers to perpetrate the fraud.

Mr. Adebayo said, “Some of the money involved in the fraud amounting to N2.1 billion was withdrawn from the salary accounts of civil servants and moved to the APC secretariat for sharing from time to time in the four years that the APC government led by Fayemi lasted in Ekiti State.

“The missing deductions from workers’ salaries for the months of April, May, June July and August, 2014 running to about N1.8 billion was also traced to the APC secretariat.

“We have it on good authority that the missing deductions from civil servants’ salaries for five months were gathered together immediately it dawned on the Fayemi-led government that there will not be funds to maintain the party after Fayemi’s exit on October 16, 2014 because the party would not have access to the money from the ghost workers again.”

Read More: PremiumTimes

Buhari Reportedly Considers Fashola, Fayemi For Position Of Chief Of Staff

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According to multiple reports, President Buhari is considering naming former Lagos Governor, Babatunde Fashola or former Ekiti state governor Kayode Fayemi as his Chief of Staff. Abubakar Mamu is also being considered for the position. There are indications that President Buhari might today reveal who the Secretary to the Government of the Federation will be as well as other aides.

Buhari May Grant Amnesty To Corrupt Officials- Fayemi

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Kayode Fayemi, the ex-Etiki state governor, said that Muhammadu Buhari, the president-elect, may grant an amnesty to those corrupt politicians who would return stolen funds.

Fayemi said this during an April 27 interview with the BBC, watched by The Punch’s correspondent. The news may surprise many, as Buhari is famous for his tough attitude towards those involved in embezzlement.

Explaining why the amnesty option might be considered, Fayemi said that it is “a form of incentive” for corrupt officials who voluntarily come out to return their loot. He added, however, that the position of the incoming All Progressives Congress government regarding corruption remains unchanged.

“Corruption is not going to be dealt with by punishment alone. It is also going to be dealt with by incentives to those who are prepared to have a conversion. If you come voluntarily and say, look, I have stolen some money and I am prepared to return the money, Gen. Buhari would not say no to that.” 

Read More: naij

Impeachment: Ekiti Traditional Rulers Beg Lawmakers To Spare Gov. Fayose

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The Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers on Thursday called on both the state governor, Ayo Fayose, and the All Progressives Congress members of the House of Assembly who recently served him notice of impeachment, to sheath their swords.

The call was contained in a communiqué issued by the Council at the end of their emergency meeting.

The monarchs made the call the same day 19 APC lawmakers said on Thursday that they had directed the Chief Judge, Ayo Daramola, to commence the process of probing allegations of gross misconduct against the governor and his deputy, Ojo Eleka.

However, the Chief Registrar of the Ekiti State Judiciary, Obafemi Fasanmi, was quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria as saying the Chief Judge had not received any directive from the lawmaker to set up an impeachment panel.

In their communiqué read by its Chairman and the Onitaji of Itaji-Ekiti, Oba Adamo Babalola, the traditional rulers said the face-off between the executive and the legislative arms of government had been on since Mr. Fayose was sworn-in on Oct.16, 2014.

The Council said efforts made by the council to broker peace between the feuding political gladiators had consistently been stalled.

“The position stalled all further deliberations and efforts to find an amicable settlement of the matter,” it said.

Read more at http://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/ssouth-west/180879-impeachment-ekiti-traditional-rulers-beg-lawmakers-to-spare-gov-fayose.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Ekiti People Own My Mandate And They Will Defend It – Fayose

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Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has called on the leadership of All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state to respect the sovereignty of the people and emulate the President,Dr Goodluck Jonathan who have conceded defeat to his opponent,Major General Mohammadu Buhari Fayose who in apparent response to the impeachment threat by the 19 All Progressive Congress (APC) lawmakers in the state House of Assembly against him,warned the legislators and other leaders of the APC in the state that any attempt to undermine the sovereignty of Ekiti people, using whatever instrument will be resisted by the people themselves

“Because power belongs to the people and they have handed it to whom they desire to exercise till October 16, 2018.

“Ekiti people who are the owners of my mandate will defend it against political usurpers, whom they had rejected twice in the last nin months.”

According to the statement issued in Ado Ekiti yesterday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, the governor urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed, to stand by his words of not
allowing the use of the judiciary to change the outcome of elections.

The governor who described the noise of impeachment and pending Supreme Court judgment being made by the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a plot
to distract him from concentrating on governance and the coming Saturday’s House of Assembly election, called on members and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State not to be distracted from their goal of delivering all the 26 Assembly seats in the State to the party.

“Instead of respecting the wish of Ekiti people, which they again affirmed on March 28 and will further affirm on April 4, the APC people that were rejected in two free and fair elections have been trying all tricks to return to power through the back door.

“They filed several cases in their bid to stop my inauguration as governor and even committed murder in the process.”

Speaking further, Fayose said; “The Speaker of the State House of Assembly then, Dr Adewale Omirin was assured of assuming office as Acting Governor and that informed his non-attendance of my inauguration, as he was still hoping that even on October 16, 2014, a court order would be gotten to stop my inauguration.

“Their evil plots against the mandate of Ekiti people failed then, but up to now, they are not relenting.

“Today, even though Omirin has been duly impeached, he still believes he can be Acting Governor while Dr Kayode Fayemi that was roundly rejected by Ekiti people is also boasting that he will return to power through the instrumentality of the court.

“However, let me warn the APC as a party to respect the wish of Ekiti people like the PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan respected the wish of Nigerians on the election of Major General Mohammadu Buhari (rtd).

“Any attempt to undermine the sovereignty of Ekiti people, using whatever instrument will be resisted by the people themselves because power belongs to the people and they have handed it to whom they desire to exercise till October 16, 2018.

“The APC gladiators in Ekiti should therefore emulate President Jonathan and the PDP by waiting till 2018 to try their luck again.

Source – Vanguardngr.com

If Fayose Provokes Us Further, We’ll Respond In Kind – Ex-Govs Adebayo, Oni, Fayemi Warn

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Former civilian Governors of Ekiti State on Friday reacted to the alleged reign of terror being unleashed on members of the All Progressives Congress as well as members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state opposed to the political philosophy of incumbent Governor Ayodele Fayose.

The ex-governors said it had come to their notice that a team of hoodlums in three unmarked Hilux vehicles went round the State, armed with guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons to the houses of Mr. Fayose’s perceived opponents, leaving them ‘severely bloodied’ in the process.

In a press statement jointly signed by the former governors – Niyi Adebayo, Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi – they alleged that the hoodlums, in their most recent operation in Ijero Local Government, created mayhem, beat and tortured the 90-year old father of the Commissioner for Finance under the Fayemi administration. They also alleged that the hoodlums destroyed shops and properties including cars belonging even to PDP members because of their perceived opposition to Fayose.

According to the statement, the attack came barely 48 hours after the former governors visited the State Commissioner of Police as well as the State Director of DSS on the security situation in Ekiti.

The statement noted that Messrs Adebayo, Oni and Fayemi had called on the security chiefs to prevail on Governor Fayose to put an end to the ongoing impunity, thuggery, brigandage, political rascality and torture.

“We had warned that if push comes to shove, the Party and all well-meaning people in the State will result to self-help to protect themselves, their assets and their rights guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, the statement said.

The statement recalled other acts of violence against the APC in the state, warning that these unwarranted attacks would no longer be tolerated.

“During the visit of the Vice Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to Ekiti on Monday March 23rd, 2015, members of APC riding to the reception venue in Buhari/Osinbajo and APC branded vehicles were attacked in Ado Ekiti. They were shot at and several of their vehicles, including those belonging to Hon. Mrs. Bunmi Oriniowo, APC House of Assembly candidate and Amb. Olofin, the APC Ekiti Central Senatorial candidate, were destroyed by the hoodlums.

“We want to state unequivocally that we will no longer tolerate any further unprovoked attack on and willful destruction of APC branded vehicles and assets in the State.

“Keeping calm thus far is not out of weakness or incapacity to respond. We are only mindful of the lessons of history.

“Please recall that the First Republic ended with the ‘Operation Wetie’ political violence that erupted in Ekiti when similar situation of political rascality as we have now became prevalent in the West. We do not want this to happen again.

Tinubu Is Jonathan’s Major Headache – Fayemi

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A former governor of Ekiti state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has said that the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, remains the major obstacle the Goodluck Jonathan-led government is unable to crack in its quest to retain power, adding that the People’s Democratic Party, PDP controlled Federal Government had lined up a number of sinister plans aimed at demystifying the APC chieftain.

Fayemi, who spoke in Aramoko Ekiti, said he has evidence against President Jonathan over claims that the Federal Government was secretly planning to foist an Interim Government on Nigerians, adding that the PDP government would soon run out of gas.

His words: “President Jonathan is becoming desperate by the day and he would stop at nothing to return to government. You know what they did in Ekiti. So, there was nothing Tinubu said that was not verifiable.

“I have evidence that he was invited to be part of Interim Government as a way of dividing us as a prominent member of our party. There is absolutely nothing they cannot do to distract us because they could see that the Presidency is gradually slipping off their hands.

“It was good that these alarms were being raised and put in the front burner that there was a sinister intention to subvert the will of the people.

“What Nigerians are looking for now is for the elections to be held on March 28 as scheduled by INEC and for the victor who was overwhelmingly elected by the popular votes to be announced.

“We as party leaders and members of opposition are ready to congratulate the winner, but if they go ahead and subvert the will of the people, they will surely go to jail”, Fayemi stated.

We Would Sue Banks Over Loans Granted To Fayemi’s Administration – Fayose

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Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has said the state was in the process of filing a suit against some banks he said granted loans to the administration of ex-Governor Kayode Fayode without due process.

Fayose, who gave the hint while addressing monarchs in the state during a meeting on Thursday, said “We don’t know where the funds ended or entered”.

At the meeting, it was learnt that the monarchs agreed to pray and work for the revival of the finances of the state while also urging government to increase the drive for internally generated revenue.

Gov. Fayose lamented that dialogue with the affected banks had failed, adding that they had tagged Ekiti as insolvent and wouldn’t grant the state loans.

He said, “We are currently entering legal action against some banks because of some of the loans they gave the state, we don’t know where they entered. They granted some loans without due process. The banks have been approached but they are not willing to cooperate.

“So, what we are doing now is to approach the courts to seek a legal redress”.

Soludo, Fayemi and Fani-Kayode: My Takeaway By Iyabo Obasanjo

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Professor Soludo’s article on the elections in Nigeria is the best writing I have read recently on the real situation politically and economically in Nigeria.

The well-articulated response from Dr. Fayemi compared to the abuse infused response from Femi Fani-Kayode on the PDP side is a great example of the contrast of the status-quo compared to the alternative.

Whatever the case and I don’t expect miracles form APC but right now they have more thinking people than the PDP.  As a Yoruba person, Dr. Fayemi’s response is how we expect our educated elite to take up issues and not the mad rantings of Fani-Kayode.

I agree with most of his premise but I do not think they (APC) can take up a massive public works program in a period of “famine” i.e. low oil prices.

During the great depression when Roosevelt used public works to help provide jobs, it was the stock market that failed i.e. Government revenue was affected from tax income but income from exportation which was then mainly agricultural goods was not affected.

The best part of Dr. Fayemi’s response is that it is not elite focused.  Nigerian governance as I saw it was not a democracy but an elitocracy.  Govt of the elite by the elite for the elite and even if you grew up in near death poverty once you left those circumstances you forgot where you came from and concentrated on your immediate family and matters affecting the wellbeing of the elite.The government could use money from its coffers to create jobs and provide skills and training, which people could then use in the private sector.

Changing this perspective to make the elite understand that their wellbeing was in fact dependent on the wellbeing of the masses will be APC’s challenge.

 They are sourcing from the same pool of elite talent that every Nigerian government has to source from and it is this pool that essentially has to be different or we will find ourselves again at precipice as usual.

APC Convention: Fayemi Named As Chairman, May Emerge As Vice President Candidate

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Former Ekiti State governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi was yesterday named the chairman of the Presidential Convention Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The development has heightened expectations that Fayemi may be picked as the running-mate to whoever emerged as the presidential candidate.

His name was shortlisted after the speculated Muslim-Muslim ticket was opposed by many chieftains of the party.

Speaking at the inauguration of the 24-man committee, Oyegun promised Nigerians that the convention would be credible and transparent.

He charged the committee to prove their detractors wrong, who always castigated the party as a bunch of strange bed-fellows.

He said: “You will recall that at every stage of our existence, there were prophets of doom, particularly coming from our opponent, from the other side.

“At every critical stage, they said, the collection of strange bed fellows, they wouldn’t get it done.

Source – Daily post Ng

Stomach Infrastructure Is An Insult To The Ekiti People – Fayemi

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Immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, has rubbished the Stomach Infrastructure programme championed by his predecessor, Ayo Fayose, saying that it is an insult to the people.

The ex-governor while defending his performance in office, said he made life better for the people of the state within the past four years.

Read more at http://dailypost.ng/2014/10/21/fayemi-rubbishes-fayoses-stomach-infrastructure-programme-says-insult-ekiti-people/

Fayemi, Dakingari Shun National Honours

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Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, his Kebbi State counterpart, Saidu Dakingari and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, were conspicuously absent at the national honours ceremony where President Goodluck Jonathan conferred award on 313 Nigerians and friends of the country.

Fayemi, who was to be honoured with the Commander of the Order of Niger, neither showed up nor sent any representative to the ceremony on his behalf.

Similarly, Kebbi state governor, Saidu Dakingari did not show up at the event, which took place at the International Christian Centre, Abuja. No reason was given for his action.