TheNewsGuru

Tag: Fayose

  • Fayose blasts EFCC over arrest of his Finance Commissioner

    Ekiti State Government has described the arrest of Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo, and the Accountant General, Mrs Yemisi Owolabi, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC as an irresponsible action.
    In a statement issued on Thursday, the Special Assistant to Governor Ayodele Fayose on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said that it was obvious that the hawks around President Muhammadu Buhari were afraid of the governor’s declaration for the 2019 presidential election.
    “The EFCC is obviously living up to its status as the attack-dog of the All Progressives Congress government, but Ekiti State government under Governor Ayodele Fayose cannot be intimidated.”
    Olayinka said the arrest was carried out with the view to embark on another round of media trial against the governor and his government.
    “It is funny that the EFCC, in the bid to carry out its usual hatchet job against Governor Fayose, failed to take into cognisance the subsisting court order, which forbids any official of the Ekiti State government from being arrested by the EFCC. Up till today, the court order has not been appealed and it subsists.”
    The government challenged the EFCC to tell Nigerians what has been done to loads of petitions written against the immediate past All Progressives Congress government of Dr Kayode Fayemi.
    “What has the EFCC done to those involved in the grass-cutting scam and the $43m Ikoyi scam?”
    “It is so funny and laughable that these characters in the APC government can’t even disappoint for once by being unpredictable.”
  • Bailout funds: EFCC arrests Fayose’s finance commissioner, Accountant General

    Bailout funds: EFCC arrests Fayose’s finance commissioner, Accountant General

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed the arrest of two key officials of the Ekiti State Government for alleged misuse of bailout funds.

    In a statement on Thursday evening, spokesman of the commission, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, identified the officials as the Commissioner for Finance and the Accountant General of the state.

    Uwujaren said they were picked up by EFCC operatives “following their refusal to honour previous invitations for interrogation in relation to pending investigation on the misuse of bailout funds by the Gov. Ayodele Fayose administration”.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the arrest came on the day that Governor Fayose formally declared his intention to run for the President in 2019 election.

  • Full text of Gov Fayose 2019 Presidential declaration speech

    Governor Ayodele Fayose on Thurssday, publicly declared his presidential ambition, saying he is ready to contest the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP).

    For the records, here is the full text of the Fayose speech delivered:

    Title: WE CAN DO IT, WE WILL DO IT

    Full text of the address delivered by His Excellency, Dr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, Governor of Ekiti State, on the occasion of his official declaration to contest the 2019 Presidential Election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

    I welcome you all to this historic event, which is landmark in the political landscape of our country, Nigeria.

    My inviting you today, distinguished leaders of our party, is to inform you formally that I will be seeking the ticket of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to contest the 2019 presidential election. This is without prejudice to our party’s position.

    However, I am a supporter of competence and capacity, especially now that this country needs young and able leaders that can take our country out of this present state of hopelessness.

    Most importantly, despite that the party has zoned the presidency to the North, it may interest you that no one has come out in this manner to show interest and our party should not wait or beg anyone to fly its flag. Do we now say that if no one comes out from the North, the party won’t have a candidate?

    Going down memory lane, in 1999 and 2003, despite that our party zoned the presidency to the South, the likes of Alhaji Abubakar Rimi of blessed memory and Chief Banabas Gemade contested the ticket.

    Also in 2007, some party members from the South did not only declare their intention to contest, they also showed interest and obtained nomination Forms. Those from the South were; Chief Victor Attah, Dr. Peter Odili, Dr. Sam Egwu, Dr. Donald Duke, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, Owelle Rochas Okorocha among others.

    This, in itself, assisted in deepening democracy.

    Our party must not lose sight that Nigerians at this period are desirous of a President with demonstrated capacity to change their fortunes. Furthermore, we must be mindful of the fact that our party needs a candidate like me, with a penchant for defeating incumbents.

    Twice, I defeated incumbents to become the Governor of Ekiti State and I am confident that with your support as my party leaders and supporters, I will defeat the incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari, in a free and fair election.

    Let me state that in Ekiti, God has used me twice for our party to regain power from the opposition (more…)

  • BREAKING [Video]: Fayose declares presidential ambition, says Nigerians tired of packaged ‘presidents’

    Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State on Thursday, publicly declared his presidential ambition, saying he is ready to contest the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP).

    Fayose who assured his supporters that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP will takeover power from the Buhari-led government come 2019 said that Nigerians are tired of ‘packaged president’.

    The problem with us in Nigeria, is because we have not invested in a president that care about the people. He said although the Vice President of the incumbent government is trying to cover up for his superior but insists the people deserve more than that.

    “We are tired of ‘Baba so-pe’ kind of politics, I am not ‘Baba’ I am still young I have the interest of my people at heart.

    PDP needs a candidate like me who have penchant for defeating incumbent,

    Buhari almost gave up on his ambition of being the president of Nigeria, but whether we like it or not, he is now the president.

    Jonathan was a quiet deputy governor and never thought to be President, but God put him there.

    Yar’ Adua was sitting at home, when former President Olusegun Obasanjo told me to go and tell him he will be Nigeria’s President, the man said no when I spoke with him in his residence, but God said ‘yes’..so he became president.

    He urged that people those in the PDP fold who are criticising his declaration should rather come out and challenge him.

     

     

  • Like I did in Ekiti, I’ll wrestle, win presidency from Buhari in 2019 – Fayose

    …writes party for ticket

    …to declare Presidential ambition on Thursday

    Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has again reiterated his determination to wrestle and win power from President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.

    The governor noted that it was typical of him to wrestle power from an incumbent. He said he had demonstrated this by beating two sitting governors in Ekiti State.

     

    He noted further that with the support of his party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, he will sure become Nigeria’s next president in 2019.

    “I’m going straight to that Villa. I’m the next president,” he said in a statement issued on Tuesday by his special assistant on public communications and new media, Mr Lere Olayinka.

    “I have a penchant for taking powers; that one in President Muhammadu Buhari’s hand, I will take it.”

    Fayose further revealed plans to formally declare his intention to run for the presidency in the general elections on Thursday in Abuja.

    The governor, via his twitter handle @GovAyoFayose displayed a copy of his letter to the PDP, seeking the party’s support in 2019.

    He, however, said his ambition to be president was without prejudice to the party’s position, but in the overall interest of the party and the country.

    The letter read; “It is with a deep sense of responsibility that I write to inform you of my intention to seek the ticket/mandate of our party to contest the 2019 presidential election.

    “Considering your support and commitment towards our great party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), it becomes imperative to keep you informed and seek your support.

    “This ambition, however, is without prejudice to our party’s position but in the overall interest of the party and our country.

    “I urge that all hands should be on deck to ensure victory at the 2019 presidential election.

    “Accept the assurances of my highest regards as a determined presidential hopeful.”

     

  • Ekiti 2018: Fayose, APC aspirants risk sanction for billboards, other campaign items – REC

    The new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ekiti State, Prof. AbdulGaniy Olayinka Raji has said Governor Ayodele Fayose his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, and some All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirants risk getting penalised for allegedly campaigning ahead of the time stipulated by law for the 2018 election.

    Raji stated this when he addressed reporters on Wednesday in his office in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    He spoke after holding a stakeholders’ meeting with leaders of political parties under the auspices of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).

    The REC also said about 221,000 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) had not been collected by eligible voters in the state.

    Raji said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was empowered by law to prosecute politicians who engaged in any form of “early campaign” before the time allowed by law.

    Fayose has erected billboards bearing his pictures and those of his deputy in which he referred to Olusola as “Your Next Governor”.

    Governorship aspirants of other parties also mounted billboards and banners in front of their campaign offices, on the major roads and boundaries of Ekiti with other neighbouring states.

    He noted that the act of erecting campaign billboards before the ban on open campaign is lifted constitutes an electoral offence punishable by fine and jail term if the offender is found guilty.

    Raji also frowned against running of campaign jingles on the electronic media and placing of campaign adverts in the newspapers which he said violate electoral law.

    All these infractions, he said, violates Section 99 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

    Raji said: “All these acts are not in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

    “Activities that look like campaign are against the Constitution and people should desist from them. Media houses should scrutinise jingles and adverts that may implicate them.

    “Any offender convicted is liable to a maximum fine of N500,000 and a jail term at the discretion of the judge. The law also permits INEC to remove such billboards.”

    Raji advised political parties to join hands with INEC to ensure the success of the 2018 governorship poll in Ekiti State.

     

  • Those in APC saying I’m sponsoring IPOB are under political bondage, I can’t be blackmailed – Fayose

    Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has described those saying that he was the one sponsoring the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as people who have put themselves in political bondage and have allowed what they will eat to becloud their sense of normal reasoning, declaring that no amount of blackmail will stop him from expressing his mind against the All Progressives Congress (APC) government’s disrespect for the constitutional rights of Nigerians.

    Governor Fayose, who said he was not surprised that the APC in Ekiti State raised the ridiculous allegation, added that the same APC people took side with Fulani herdsmen when they killed people in Oke-Ako, Ekiti State and destroyed farmlands worth several millions of naira in the State.

    Speaking through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said he was not among those Nigerians that can be cowed by anyone, asking; “Now that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki has come out to openly say that categorization of IPOB as a ‘terrorist organisation’ by the military is unconstitutional, is the APC also going to accuse him of sponsoring IPOB?”

    The governor said he was not unaware that Ekiti State could be the main target of the ‘operation crocodile smile’ that the army said will commence in the Southwest and South South, asking what security threat was being witnessed in the Southwest to warrant a major military operation.

    Governor Fayose said; “It is on record that on June 10, 2013, it was widely reported in the media that the current Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who was the National Publicity Secretary of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) said that the proscription of Boko Haram was against the constitution, that it stifled the press and tampered with the fundamental human rights of Nigerians.

    “It is also on record that in June 2013, President Buhari told the Federal Government to stop the clampdown of Boko Haram insurgents, accusing the government of killing and destroying houses belonging to Boko Haram members while the Niger Delta militants were giving special treatment.

    “Should we now say that Lai Mohammed and President Buhari sponsored Boko Haram because they spoke against the federal government’s clampdown on the insurgents then?”

    The governor, who likened the militarization of Nigeria, being witnessed now to 1984 when President Muhammadu Buhari was military Head of State, said “killing unarmed Nigerians in the Southeast or anywhere in the country, just because some people are agitating is wrong and I wonder why none of our so called human rights activists is talking now.

    “Herdsmen have sacked a whole community in this country, they killed over 1,000 Agatus in Benue State and have destroyed people’s farmlands across the country, has any of the herdsmen been arrested? Has any conceited effort been made by the federal government to curb the menace of the Fulani herdsmen?

    “If because I spoke against the wanton killings carried out by the military in the Southeast, the APC is saying that I’m funding IPOB, was I the one funding the people of Southern Kaduna when I condemned the killings there?

    “Was I funding the Agatus in Benue State when I condemned their killings by Fulani herdsmen? Was I funding the Shiite Muslims when I condemned the killings of El-Zakzaky followers in Zaria and his continued detention?

    “Mine is a mission for a Nigeria where no one will be treated like a second class citizen and we can only achieve that if we have leaders that will not be a champion of nepotism like President Buhari.”

  • Fayose sponsoring IPOB, other agitation groups to discredit Buhari’s administration – APC

    The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC has accused Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State of funding the Indigenous People of Biafa, IPOB and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu to discredit President Muhammadu’s Buhari’s administration.

    The Ekiti State chapter of the party, which made the accusation against Fayose said the governor was on a mission to plunge the nation into crisis.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Federal Government had also on Sunday accused the opposition of using the group (IPOB) to destabilize the country.

    The Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said in a statement on Sunday that the Nigerian Army was performing its constitutional role of preserving the unity of Nigeria and bringing all secessionists and their backers to justice.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Governor Fayose had urged the federal government to embrace dialogue in the resolution of the Biafran agitation after the Nigerian military declared IPOB a terrorist organisation.

    He had earlier accused the government and the military of ethnic cleansing in their handling of the Biafran agitation.

    However, in a swift reaction, Olatunbosun said the governor’s actions and utterances had shown that he was “solidly behind any activity that will bring Nigeria down.”

    “On April 26 and as published by The Nigerian Tribune Newspaper and its online publication on April 27, 2017, Fayose said he was working in conjunction with Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, to raise funds for Kanu, stressing that he was taking his support for Kanu beyond showing solidarity in court by raising funds that would be deposited in an account opened in Kanu’s name,” Olatunbosun alleged.

    He quoted Fayose as saying that, “as many lawyers willing to fight the oppression should join the struggle for liberation from the oppression,” alleging that the governor was not new to seditious and treasonable activities to bring Nigeria down.

    “He led a campaign to the Chinese Embassy in Abuja and later to Shanghai, the Chinese capital, to urge the Chinese government not to lend hands in helping Nigeria out of recession,” continued Olatunbosun.

    “Relentlessly, he led hate campaigns against the symbol of the Nigerian authority, President Muhammadu Buhari, wishing him dead, including hounding and haunting the President across the world, including on his sick bed, and threatening to expose the President on a life-support machine, all these in spite of swearing to uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to be loyal to the Nigerian state and her President.

    “He went further as reported in the media on May 25, 2017 that ‘Ekiti State is now part of Biafra’, which drew the ire of several Yoruba groups as reported in the media.

    “Not done, while Nigerians and indeed the country’s leaders were celebrating Nigeria’s exit from recession, Fayose was the only governor across the country who dismissed the celebration as a ruse, maintaining that Nigeria was still in a deep economic mess even though in his state, he is the biggest stumbling block to the survival of Ekiti people by diverting all loans he took to pay workers salary to needless projects contracts awarded to his friends’ companies in which he allegedly has interest.”

    Olatunbosun further alleged that Fayose demonstrated the seriousness of his support for the collapse of Nigeria when he released his telephone number 070300000393 and email: mystory2006@yahoo.com as reported in the media on April 27, 2017, urging all that were interested in the Biafra cause to contact him through the phone number and email address.

    “All the South-east governors, including the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, have opposed Kanu in his secessionist activities while Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has warned Kanu and IPOB to stay away from Rivers; but Fayose declared Ekiti State as part of Biafra and that has confirmed the report that he is part of Biafra’s financiers as he had publicly declared to the media,” said Olatunbosun.

    “No wonder, just four months after Fayose started mobilising funds for Biafra, thousands of deadly weapons, including military assault rifles, were smuggled into the country but were intercepted by the Nigerian Customs while it was also discovered that uniformed Biafran militants already have military training camps where they are planning deadly assaults against Nigeria after threatening her leaders.

    “We had earlier alerted the security agencies to the presence of armed gangs and stockpiling of arms in the Ekiti State Government House and his present activities in raising funds for Kanu only confirm that he is part of rebellion against the Nigerian state.

    “We have always insisted that Fayose is a threat to the Nigeria’s unity and the economic survival of her people.”

    The APC spokesman urged security agencies and Interpol to investigate Mr. Fayose in his support for funding IPOB with “the latest influx of military assault rifles into the country.”

    “His support for Kanu in funds mobilisation for his treasonable act and the activities of Fayose’s media men in promoting the Biafran cause only point to one agenda to destabilise Nigeria and that has proved us right that Fayose has no agenda than the destabilisation of Nigeria to enable him escape all illegal and criminal activities linked to him in recent past,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Governor Fayose in a reaction through his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, described the allegation as baseless, saying his support for the group did not translate into funding of the IPOB.

    Adelusi noted that APC’s allegation against him was an attempt to “cover up the federal government’s torture and killing of the Igbo people.”

    He said the governor had the right to express his support for any group, including the IPOB, arguing that the travails of the Igbo people should be the concern of all Nigerians.

    “The attack by the military on the IPOB should be a concern for all Nigerians,” he said. “The people are expressing their fundamental rights. Their demands are legitimate.”

    He denied raising funds for the group, saying that it was the ploy of the APC and the government at the centre to defend their wrongdoings and silence any opposition.

    “The agitation of the IPOB is as a result of bad governance by the present administration,” Mr. Adelusi said.

    “If there was good governance, there would not have been any need for the agitations; there would not have been calls for restructuring by the Niger Delta agitators, Afenifere and other groups.”

  • Ekiti 2018: Angry youths oppose adoption of Fayose’s deputy as consensus candidate

    Some youths in Ekiti East Local Government Area of Ekiti State have said they will resist the alleged imposition of deputy governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, on the electorate.

    Rising from a meeting on Saturday at Omuo-Ekiti, headquarters of the local government area, the youth condemned the adoption of Olusola as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) “sole candidate”.

    They said the plan was masterminded by Governor Ayodele Fayose.

    Acting under the aegis of Ekiti East Youth Forum (EEYF), the group called for the conduct of a free, fair and transparent primary in which all aspirants would participate and eligible delegates allowed to elect a candidate of their choice.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Ekiti East is the home base of another PDP governorship aspirant and Senate Deputy Minority Whip Biodun Olujimi.

    The senator has fallen out of favours with Fayose over her governorship ambition.

    In a statement after the meeting, EEYF President Joel Rotimi and its Secretary, Oluwatimilehin Stephen, said the decision by a section of the PDP to adopt Olusola among several other aspirants was against the principle of fairness and justice.

    The statement urged the national leadership of the PDP to intervene in the matter.

    It said the crisis thrown up by the “surreptitious adoption” was capable of damaging the chances of the party in the 2018 governorship poll.

    The statement reads: “The purported adoption of Olusola, even before the party releases its guidelines and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lifts the ban on political campaign, was a pure charade and illegal. It will not stand.

    “The action was masterminded by Governor Fayose to cover up his illegalities. It is a ploy to continue to rule Ekiti because he knows that the deputy governor is weak.

    “It was unfortunate that Governor Fayose, who singlehandedly fought against consensus, is now imposing a candidate.

    “We commend leaders, like Senator (Biodun) Olujimi, representing Ekiti South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, for opposing the move and we urge her to take steps to stop the illegal action.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the adopted sole candidate, Prof. Olusola, has said he was not afraid of going into a primary election with other aspirants, expressing confidence of winning the party’s ticket at a shadow poll.

  • Ekiti 2018: Why I endorsed my deputy as next governor – Fayose

    Governor Ayodele Fayose on Friday explained why he supported the emergence of his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola Eleka as the consensus candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state for next year’s governorship election.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Olusola emerged from the list of strong contenders for the governorship ticket as the “most preferred candidate” at a meeting held by party faithfuls in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the decision to support Olusola as the consensus candidate of the party was met with wide condemnations as other governorship candidates distanced themselves from the action.

    Leading the pack in condemning the selection of Olusola as consensus candidate of the party is the Publicity Secretary of the party, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, also a governorship candidate.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that political pundits in the state reminded the incumbent, Fayose of his statement in 2014 when promised the politicians in the state that neither him nor his deputy would seek any other political office as soon as their tenure expires in 2018.

    He had said, “I have taken one [oath] and I will take another one in October. After that, I will find my way to my house. Again, I have chosen a deputy governor and I have told him from the beginning that the two of us will pack our load and leave the Government House because I don’t want a deputy that will start playing politics behind me when we are in government and will be distracting me, I don’t want that again.

    “So, he is practically here for me to look after certain things and ensure that we succeed. When I am going, I will hold his hand and say bye to Ekiti people.”

    On why he changed his mind by adopting Olusola, Fayose said man proposes, but God disposes, but that this did not mean that there wouldn’t be any primary in the state.

    He said the deputy governor would compete with others in the party’s primary.

    He also said that his deputy had demonstrated good character, adding that he had always allowed God’s will to be done in every situation.

    The governor further said other aspirants should not be afraid of his support for his deputy since there would be primary election.

    He said, “Man proposes, God disposes. Sometimes, you wish some [people] as girlfriend, but they become your wife as perfection, judgment and finality are exclusively of God. The young man is outstanding in character.

    “Above all, constitutionally, my deputy is at liberty to run [for election] and I am at liberty to support anyone of my choice. Above all, other aspirants have nothing to fear if they have capacity to defeat him [Olusola] as the primary election is ahead.

    “If my support was for them, they would not complain. Rather, they would be celebrating it by now. Most of the aspirants complaining made a success of their political career through God’s grace and by my humble self. They never complained when they were rising at the expense of others.

    “The adoption [of Olusola] does not mean there will be no primary. Even for sole candidates, there must be a no or yes answer, so the primary must hold.”