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Tag: Fayose

  • ADEBOYE: Fayose’s idiosyncrasy and democracy – Umegboro

    ADEBOYE: Fayose’s idiosyncrasy and democracy – Umegboro

    By Carl Umegboro

    Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose was recently extolled by the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye as an outstanding defender of democracy vis-à-vis his obduracy and the incessant bouts on the federal government’s policies.

    The encomium unfortunately attracted unembellished criticisms from All Progressives Congress (APC), Ekiti state chapter describing the clergy’s remarks as biased, jaundiced and rabble-rousing.

    Fayose has at any opportunity vehemently stood against all federal government’s actions and vulgarly attacked the president with all manner of names, unfortunately, politics is civilly knotted on policies and issues, and distinct from personal attacks.

    Biblically, such attacks on the nation’s leader are profanities, disrespect and superciliousness irrespective of tribal dissimilarities.

    President Muhammadu Buhari should logically, expect to fall apart with more prominent personalities due to the state of the economy though inherited blunders, and above all, his parsimony.

    On the economy; good or bad, president takes responsibility, while latter is part of the change majority of Nigerians earnestly bid for by endorsing Buhari at the poll.

    Incontrovertibly, the nation under recession essentially requires judiciousness as a paradigm shift.

    Nonetheless, if the President is dispensing same pattern to both Christian and Muslim spheres, sure, he has populist utmost supports.

    Obviously, this is not time for inconsequentialities but serious business.

    No visionary clearly captured it that Donald Trump would emerge America’s next president, instead all the trumpets blew; ‘America’s election will be remarkable’.

    Looking at it critically, if Hillary Clinton had won; as America’s first woman president; it is unprecedented. On the other hand, as Trump, a businessman conquered the Clinton’s gang-ups; still amazement.

    Hence, Trump’s ascension to power was exclusive of peripheral visions but aggregately divine providence, self-determination and masses verdict.

    Interestingly, the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) heads the economic team which its terms of reference largely anchored on the economy in shambles, yet, no such attacks has been extended to Osinbajo; Fayose’s tribesman. Again, all the states governors are supposedly members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) where national policies and issues are deliberated prior to adoption.

    Now, the question begging for answers is how many motions has Fayose presented during these meetings on how to move the economy forward to prove his superior acumen against the ‘clueless’ policies.

    Instead, Fayose is ever standby to throw up criticisms in the public domain, sadly with no solutions ever proffered; calculatedly for self-relevance.

    The FEC meeting objectively affords all stakeholders opportunity to put forward feasible ideas together for the nation.

    Thus, any governor that abandons such a forum but resorts to opprobrious open attacks on the government is grossly bereft of ideas, deceitful and suspicious of diversionary tactics.

    This is akin to lawmakers that maintain silence at the chambers of the National Assembly but rant so loud outside; hectoring with ideas on good governance to the masses.

    Nevertheless, Pastor Adeboye as a citizen has fundamental rights to hold opinions on any issues; however, as a prominent religious leader with access to those in the corridors of power, such submissions ought to be chivalrously dispensed.

    With Osinbajo as the second in command, Adeboye has unfettered access to the presidency.

    On a second thought, Adeboye’s remarks could possibly be resultant of the heinous attacks Fulani herdsmen severally launched against innocent citizens in the guise of grazing which Fayose resolutely declared fire-for-fire in his state.

    If on this scenario, Adeboye’s verdict is sustained; while APC’s despicable riposte; overruled.

    Be that as it may, by APC opting for a senior pastor in RCCG as Buhari’s running mate, Adeboye is indirectly part and parcel of Buhari’s administration; thus, will alongside take blames if things get messier.

    The political matrimony between Adeboye and APC government on account of Osinbajo’s active involvement in the government cannot be overemphasized.

    Thus, the finest Adeboye can reciprocatively offer the nation is fast uncommonly, pray fervently and give advises where necessary for the success of this administration.

    The singular act of opting for one of his much loved pastors as second in command is indicative that the party had reverence for the clergy and will willingly imbibe his indulgence.

    As for Fayose’s patriotism, it’s imperative to note that Fayose’s counsel in the EFCC-Fayose’s account saga, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) never challenged the actions of the anti-graft agency on ground of blamelessness or guilt, but clearly, on account that Fayose alongside all state governors, deputy governors, vice president and president are impliedly licensed to commit all crimes including diversion and looting of public funds without prosecution while in office as provided by section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    All the judicial interventions were strictly based on points of law and distinct from justifiability or rightness. Good governance is about service-delivery and dividends of democracy.

    What will ultimately determine Fayose’s fate either as an asset or liability is how he adds values beyond his predecessor.

    A governor is elected to manage his state’s economy and not for activism, cantankerousness or political accolades.

    Advisably, Fayose should concentrate on governance and leave political mêlées for political parties to avoid dividing his concentration further; for meaningful impact through infrastructural development and economic empowerment as in some states.

    To prioritize and maintain tetchiness, boisterous doses on the national government is deceptive, diversionary, parochial, and ultimately, catastrophic for Ekiti people.

    *Umegboro is a public affairs analyst and publisher

  • Follow footsteps of Fayose, own up to audio recordings – APC tells Gov. Wike

    Follow footsteps of Fayose, own up to audio recordings – APC tells Gov. Wike

    The Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, said it received with satisfaction the confirmation by Gov. Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State that the telephone discussion clip between him and Gov Nyesom Wike published by Saharareporters is authentic.

    “Gov Fayose’s only grouse is that it was allegedly recorded and leaked by the Department of State Services [DSS], an accusation he is yet to provide the evidence.

    The APC finds Gov. Fayose’s position very significant in several aspects. The most important significance of that admission is that even among criminals, some level of honour especially in telling some truth and owning up to the obvious are necessary” the APC said in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Senibo Chris Finebone.

    The opposition party in Rivers State recalled that when the audio recordings of Gov. Wike’s conversations with his people on rigging the last December 10 rerun elections surfaced in public space, the governor rather than own up and raise other issues about the clips chose to discredit them even if they were as clear to the deaf and dumb as could be.

    According to the statement, the APC expected Gov. Wike to take advantage of the panel set up by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris to help unravel what happened during the elections including the authenticity of the alleged audio recording clips and his many accusations against security agencies, INEC and our party. Instead the governor defiantly announced that he and the Rivers State Government would not cooperate with the IGP panel – something that tend to suggest that the governor has a lot to hide.

    The APC notes that having been unsuccessful in discrediting the audio clips Gov. Wike decided to deflect attention from himself and the criminal nature of the clips by setting up his own panel to investigate events surrounding the last December 10 rerun elections in Rivers State.

    The APC and its leadership believed that the decision by Gov. Wike to set up a parallel judicial panel on the December 10 rerun elections, as laughable as it appears, is not only to conceal his malfeasance in the rerun elections but to attempt to pin contrived wrong doings on his political opponents, a move doomed to die on arrival.

    The APC reminded Gov. Wike that while immunity shields him from prosecution, it does not protect him and indeed any governor from investigation. He must know that immunity has expiration date and that day must come.

    The APC also called on Gov. Nyesom Wike to tow the line of his Man Friday, Gov. Ayo Fayose and recognise that even among thieves some level of honour is necessary.

    “He should own up that the audio recording of him is authentic instead of continuing to live in denial. Better still, the governor should take advantage of the IGP panel to tell all he knows about the December 10 rerun elections and possibly exonerate himself instead of the lame attempts at discrediting the clips and accusing APC, INEC, Police, DSS and everyone else” the statement declared.

  • Fayose approves N140m severance package for former public-office holders [1999-2008]

    Fayose approves N140m severance package for former public-office holders [1999-2008]

    Ekiti State Government on Monday announced the approval for payment N140m severance package due to former dead and living elected-public-office holders at the local government level.

    This is contained in a statement released to journalists by the Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Mr Idowu Adelusi, in Ado Ekiti.

    According to the statement, the beneficiaries of the severance include those elected into office in 1999, 2006 and 2008‎.

    They included : former chairmen of local governments, council secretaries, councilors as well council advisers.

    He said the state governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, gave the order for the immediate payment of the severance package to the affected officers during a meeting he held with them on Monday.

    Adelusi quoted the governor as directing that families of those already dead must also be paid the entitlements of their deceased ones.

    He also warned local government officials who would effect the payment not to play politics with the exercise, saying anyone caught would face the consequences.

    “The governor felt that despite the economic challenges we are facing as a state, we feel it is our duty to honour those who had served our state in the past.

    “They had contributed their own quota to the development of our state; therefore, families of those that are already dead should be paid too.

    “The ‎exercise has nothing to do with politics and must be fairly shared.

    “We already made some payments some months ago and we are again doing this now.

    “If this had been done in the past, the backlog would not have been a burden on us now, if not for the financial challenges we are facing, we would have paid everything at a goal,” he said.

    The governor admonished leaders of the state to let their actions be in the best interest of the state.

    The statement said Fayose urged the people of the state to expect the best from his administration, economic recession notwithstanding in the New Year.

  • Ekiti PDP fires back at APC over attack on Pastor Adeboye

    Ekiti PDP fires back at APC over attack on Pastor Adeboye

    In a swift reaction to a statement credited to the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Mr. Jide Awe, condemning the person and image of the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Adeboye, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has slammed the leadership of the APC saying the statement is a demonstration of devilish mindset of the party.

    Recall that Awe had in a statement credited to him lambasted Pastor Adeboye for commending Governor Fayose while alleging that he may have been bribed by the governor to earn such commendation from him.

    The PDP noted that Pastor Adeboye commending the State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, for the governor’s courage and willingness to defend his people and the cause of the common man in the country was a statement of fact.

    Spokesperson of the PDP in the State, Mr Jackson Adebayo, in a statement on Monday, said; “it is the height of crude politics for the APC to insinuate that a man of God of Pastor Adeboye’s standing took bribe to commend Governor Fayose for what is obvious.

    He said; “Pastor Adeboye is a respected man of God. He is not a politician. He only said what he saw about Governor Fayose and the only Nigerians, who won’t want to accept the fact that the governor has stoutly defended Ekiti people and the common people of Nigeria, are those in the APC.”

    Mr Adebayo, who described the rebuttal, issued late on Sunday, by the APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun as an afterthought, added that; “The APC in Ekiti State has strong history of political intolerance such that anyone that is not with them must be condemned at all cost.

     

  • Those saying Pastor Adeboye collected bribe from Fayose are scum – Fani Kayode

    Former Aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has lambasted critics who said the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, collected bribe from Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose.

    This is coming after the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State frowned at the comment made by Pastor Adeboye, commending Governor Fayose.

    Adeboye had admonished state governors in the country to emulate their Ekiti State counterpart after he commended the governor’s courage and willingness to defend his people and the cause of the common man in the country.

    But the state’s APC, in its reaction, said it was alarmed that a cleric of Pastor Adebayo’s standing could praise Governor Fayose for his persistent insults and abuses on President Muhammadu Buhari, noting that Pastor Adeboye should be seen as speaking for himself and his comment must not be seen as representing that of the entire members of the RCCG.

    Reacting, however, FFK took to his Twitter handle @realFFK to say: “Those who accused pastor Adeboye of collecting bribe from Governor Fayose simply because he commended the governor’s courage, are scum.”

  • I hope other governors can defend their people like Fayose – Adeboye

    I hope other governors can defend their people like Fayose – Adeboye

    General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, urges state governors in the country to emulate their Ekiti State counterpart, Mr Ayodele Fayose, in standing up for and protecting the interest of their people.

    Adeboye stated this in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday at the palace of Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi 111.

    The renowned cleric, visited the monarch before attending a crusade at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, described Governor Fayose as a great defender of his people and their cause.

    Adeboye also commended Fayose for taking great risks to defend and pro‎tect the interests of his people.

    ‎”Your Excellency, we thank God for your life, courage, boldness and being willing to take the risk so that your people can be protected and I know you know what I am talking about.

    You can be sure that we are praying for you and you will succeed.‎ I hope other governors will stand for their people like you and defend their people and say enough is enough‎,” Adeboye said.

    Adeboye, who prayed for the restoration of the lost glory of Ekiti, also commended Oba Adejugbe for leading his people in the way of the Lord.

    Earlier, Governor Fayose said Nigerians appreciate the efforts of Adeboye at taking the gospel round the world‎.

    ‎”We ‎know that it is at this time of the year that you go round and we pray that God strengthens you.

    Your visit is annually and when a man of God passes by, we want to take that advantage for him to bless us.‎

    We appreciate your efforts at taking the gospel round the world‎,” he said. Oba Adejugbe also described Adeboye’s visit as a blessing to the palace, and the people of the state in general.

    Pastor Adeboye later held a revival at the stadium and later visited Ilawe and Ogotun-Ekiti.

  • Fayose blasts prophets who predicted his removal, says ‘I am God’s project’

     

    Following several release of prophetic vision stating categorically that he would be removed from office less than a year of assuming same, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has blasted the prophets for the failed prophecies.

    Recall that In 2014 after his swearing-in, two notable clerics from Ibadan and Akure, predicted that Fayose would not last 12 months in office.

    They claimed the Governor would suffer the same fate that befell him in 2006 during his first tenure.

    Fayose spoke during the annual Christmas Carol Service at the Government House Grounds on Sunday.

    According to a statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, the Governor had declared that: “God knows everything and for Ekiti and her people, we are going forward and with God all things are possible.

    “In January this year, a cleric said I would be removed in 2016 and I am still here by God’s grace. On April 22, 2015, somebody said myself and Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State would be removed from office, but am still here.

    “My enemies can’t change my destiny. I am God’s project and all that he plans for my life will come to pass, no matter how bitter some people feel. Anybody with a negative prophecy against me and this state will fail. We won’t lose any battle in Ekiti. God is bound by His words and will accomplish them.”

     

  • Gambia Poll: Buhari lacks moral rights to preach obedience – Fayose

    Gambia Poll: Buhari lacks moral rights to preach obedience – Fayose

    …says former President Goodluck Jonathan, President John Mahama more qualified to lead negotiations with Gambian leader, Yahya Jammeh to concede defeat

    Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has described President Muhammadu Buhari’s involvement in the meeting with President Yahya Jammeh to persuade him to concede defeat as an aberration, saying; “A man like Buhari under whose free, fair and credible elections no longer exist lacks moral rights to preach obedience to democratic principles to anyone.”

    The governor said great Africans like former President Goodluck Jonathan, President John Mahama of Ghana and others who lost elections and conceded defeat were in the best position to intervene in Gambia and not Buhari who lost election three times and never conceded defeat.

    According to his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose wondered what President Buhari, whose government is desperately moving Nigeria from a multi-party democracy to a one party State, would have told President Jammeh in Gambia.

    In his words: “with what happened in Rivers State last weekend, it is certain that votes of Nigerians will no longer be allowed to count as the APC cabal in the Presidential villa has now assumed the roles of INEC, allocating votes to their party and using security agents to force their will on the people.”

    Governor Fayose asked; “Did President Buhari face Jammeh and advised him to accept defeat the way he (Buhari) conceded defeat in 2003, 2007 and 2011 when violence was instigated and several people, including Youth Corp members were killed? Or did Buhari lecture Jammeh to take to democracy at gunpoint, which is now the norm in Nigeria?

    “How can Buhari, who has destroyed the legacy of free, fair and credible elections that was handed over to him, be the one to prevail on someone else to adhere to democratic principles?”

    He said Buhari should first remove the timber in his eyes before attempting to remove the toothpicks in other peoples’ eyes, describing the President as a physician who cannot heal himself but trying to heal others.

    The governor said even though President Jammeh behaved dishonourably by reneging on his initial promise to accept defeat, involvement of President Buhari in the meeting to persuade him to step down was the height of hypocrisy.

    The governor said that Nigerians are now more concerned with how to take back their country like the Gambians have done.

    “Nigerians are worried about the possibility of Buhari behaving like Jammeh in 2019 after he must have been defeated and that the international community may need a high-powered delegation to pilot his rampaging bull out of Nigerians chinashop,” he said.

  • Fayose orders sack of 400 workers engaged by Ekiti varsity

    The Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, has sacked over 400 workers recently engaged by the institution because their recruitment did not follow due process.

    The action followed a directive of the state Governor, Ayodele Fayose, who expressed reservation about the recruitment process.

    The governor, who said this on Wednesday in Ado Ekiti, wondered why more than 400 persons would be offered employment without the positions being advertised.

    He spoke during an interactive session with the participants in the N-Power Programme of the Federal Government from the state at the Government House, Ado Ekiti.

    No fewer than 3,400 people are taking part in the programme in the state.

    Participants are to take part in education, health, community and agriculture sectors for the next two years and would be paid a monthly stipend of N30,000 each.

    Fayose at the event promised a reward of N1m and full employment for the best participant in the N-Power Programme.

    He, however, called on the Federal Government to tackle unemployment headlong, saying the N-Power Programme was only a palliative.

    “This is only a palliative as it will last for only two years and I am strongly appealing to the Federal Government to take the issue of job creation serious. When somebody partakes in this programme and is sent back to the labour market after two years, that is going back to where he or she started, the labour market.

    “As for us, we will do our duty to distribute participants to where they would work and monitor them as well as ensuring that we do a proper data capturing of the participants.

    “For those in the agriculture arm of the programme, they can take advantage of our desire to adequately support rice and cocoa cultivation. We will support in the provision of inputs and clearing of land.

    Next year, we are committing about N250m to clear farmlands across the state. From among the participants, we can get serious ones who could be useful in the teaching service and other areas,” he said.

    The governor also emphasised the need to make appointment into public service free, fair and transparent.

  • Court orders immediate unfreezing of Fayose’s accounts in Zenith Bank

    A Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday, set aside an earlier order of a Federal High court, Lagos empowering the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to freeze two accounts of Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose.

    The court consequently ordered the EFCC to immediately unfreezing of the two accounts belonging to the governor without further delay, on the account that the anti-graft agency did not follow due process.

    Justice Taiwo Taiwo who gave the order while delivering a judgment which lasted more than two hours, in a suit filed by the governor, through his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome, said the rights of the governor had been unconstitutionally infringed upon, considering the circumstance of his office.

    He declared that apart from the immunity which Fayose currently enjoyed as a sitting governor under section 308 of the constitution, it was wrong for the EFCC to have gone ahead to seize his two accounts in apparent perpetuity without first investigating him or making him a party.

    He averred that rather than the EFCC freezing the governor’s accounts directly through the third party who did not enjoy any mandate from him, the governor himself ought to have been first investigated and brought into the picture.

    He described Fayose as “a genuinely deprived person who rushed to the court to seek constitutional protection.”

    He said it was also the duty of any presiding judge to protect the said constitution and its interpretations whenever the need arises.

    “The Plaintiff is entitled to be heard before his property or money can be seized, doing otherwise will amount to denying him fair hearing and constitutional rights”, he said.

    However, the judge refused to grant other reliefs sought by the governor, including a perpetual injunction restraining EFCC or its agents from further tampering with his property, and another one asking for payment of N5billion as exemplary damages.

    “This court will not shield any person from due investigation.

    “Since Police cannot be stopped from investigating a crime, same goes for the First Respondent so as not to whittle down its functions”, the judge said.

    EFCC lead counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo was absent at the court but Fayose’s lead counsel, Ozekhome, in his reaction described the judgment as the best to be so made, saying it would checkmate the agency against years of brazen arbitrariness and excesses.