OCT.16,2014. EKITI POWER CHANGE FAYEMI OUT FAYOSE IN Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, was agog on Wednesday as preparations for the inauguration of Ayodele Peter Fayose as the new governor of state gathered momemtum. At the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Fayose Campaign headquarters in the Government Reservation Area, and the streets of Ado-Ekiti, the supporters of the governor-elect were seen readying themselves ahead of the ceremony. Our correspondent also noted that a well-decorated stage had been created at the centre of the stadium. The stage faces the equally well-decorated state box. Fayose visited the stadium in company with security agency chiefs to inspect the extent of preparation for the ceremony which will be graced by either President Goodluck Jonathan or Vice-President Namadi Sambo and the national leadership of Peoples Democratic Party. It was not clear as of 7pm on Wednesday if outgoing Governor Kayode Fayemi would attend the ceremony that will be conducted by the state Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola. A rehearsal for the inauguration with the Chief Registrar of the Ekiti State High Court, Obafemi Fasanmi, also took place in the city whose hotels and guest houses had been fully booked. Artisans, okada riders, market men and women as well as commercial motorists and motorcyclists were seen buying different colours of uniforms at the Fayose campaign headquarters for the inauguration. The governor-elect, it was gathered, had distributed cows and money to various groups in the state to enable them to celebrate his second coming as the state governor. As of 4pm on Wednesday, the Government House was solemn as The PUNCH learnt that Fayemi, his family members and aides moved out their personal belongings around noon. Fayemi, who lifted the curfew he imposed on the state following an outbreak of violence, was said to have left for his Isan-Ekiti home town in the Oye Local Government Area of the state. Fayose had in a live television interview on Tuesday said he had invited all the clerics in the state to join him in cleansing the Government House. He said, “I am expecting all pastors; they would first be at the new State House to carry out a thorough spiritual cleansing before we enter the building on Thursday (today) after the inauguration. “ Even if they are up to 1, 000, they should all come for the spiritual cleansing before we enter the building. But any pastor who isn’t sure of his calling shouldn’t come.” Heavy presence of security personnel was visible on major streets of the city and the stadium’s entrance. The operatives were drawn from the Nigeria Army, Nigerian Police Force, Nigeria Prison Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Department of State Service. The Ekiti Police Public Relations Officer, Victor Babayemi, in a statement said the Command had put in place adequate and comprehensive security measures to prevent breach of law and order. He said, “The Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu , has ordered the deployment of adequate manpower and equipment to police all the events. “Bomb Disposal Units, Counter- Terrorist Units, Police Mobile Force and Swift Response Squad in addition to conventional and plain- clothes detectives have been strategically positioned to ensure an eventful and crisis-free ceremony. “The police personnel have been mandated to embark on thorough stop and search of persons and vehicles to prevent troublemakers from infiltrating the venues.’’ Lakanu, according to him, appealed “to the good people of the state to support and cooperate with law enforcement agencies to ensure a hitch-free ceremony.” But in spite of the lifting of the curfew by Fayemi, the National Youth Service Corps in the state on Wednesday discharged members who were initially scheduled to end their mandatory national service on Thursday(today). It was gathered that the decision was informed by what the NYSC management considered as rising tension in the state. The Governor-elect, in an interview with journalists, lamented that the transition team raised by Fayemi did not cooperate with his inauguration team. Alleging that the Fayemi administration was leaving an empty treasury, he appealed to workers in the state to call off their strike as a mark of honour for him. He assured all groups and associations, party supporters, civil servants including teachers of adequate care during his tenure. Fayose said, “I don’t want to join issues with anybody. I only believe that a chapter has come and gone. A new chapter will be opened tomorrow (today). “The outgoing government has refused to cooperate with us in terms of inauguration and my findings have confirmed that no government account has up to N1m. “The Head of Service has been here and some permanent secretaries and I asked them. No government account presently in Ekiti has a minimum of N1m “It’s unfortunate that this is happening but we were voted into power to find solutions to the problem and as soon as we take over the government, we shall find solution to it.” Fayose refused to comment on whether he would probe the former administration or not. He said, “On the issue of probe, I won’t talk about it now until we take over the government officially. We can’t talk about it until I assume office. I have not taken the handing over note. So until then, I don’t want to join issues with anybody.” Asked if he would move into the Government House on Thursday (today), he replied, “Entering Government House is not an issue. Anywhere I am is a government house immediately I take over. I can be here and act as a governor. But events from tomorrow (today) will give us a direction.” A member of the Transition Committee, Owoseni Ajayi, also alleged that the inauguration team put in place by the outgoing governor did not cooperate with them. Ajayi said, “They have not connected with us. They didn’t allow the transition committee to work. They didn’t discuss with us. We wanted to use the Government House for reception but they said no. “The people sent to set the stage were supposed to be there a day before but the government did not cooperate.” Asked if Fayemi had indicated interest to attend the ceremony, he replied, “Is that the kind of person that will come; somebody that we just wanted to use a venue and he refused. “He said the Government House belongs to him until midnight of October 15. That the Governor- elect should write to the permanent secretary. They were hostile throughout. “We are perturbed about their attitude because we are all Ekiti people.” Fayemi, on his last day in office, announced the lifting of the curfew he imposed on the state. He made the announcement in his final valedictory speech on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti. The outgoing governor said, “In the spirit of transition and in the light of the relative peace that has endured in the capital, I hereby announce the lifting of the curfew hitherto imposed on the capital based on the advice of the security agencies. “I urge all citizens/residents to conduct themselves peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law.” Fayemi had on September 26 declared a curfew, saying “there would be no movement between the hours of 7pm and 7am every day till further notice.” Hi action followed the violence that erupted after the murder of a former Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Omolafe Aderiye, by gunmen. Fayemi, who said it was a great honour and privilege to serve his people, added that he had delivered on the promises he made on assumption of office. He said, “As I step away from office, I can say the promises we made are the promises we kept. We have made Ekiti a much better place than we found it. “Our eight-point agenda was not a campaign gimmick. It served as our compass. We kept faith to the direction in which it pointed. “In governance, we professionalised the civil service, including the elimination of costly ghost workers. We embraced public participation in the budgetary system and in allocation of community projects. “We enhanced Internal Generated Revenue without raising the tax rate. “Regarding infrastructure, we pledged road construction and rural electrification. We vowed an Urban Renewal Initiative, including affordable housing. Ninety per cent of Ekiti roads are now motorable. “In agricultural development, we inaugurated programmes like the agri-business summit and youth commercial agricultural development programme among other initiatives. We also promised cottage industries in the Agro- allied sector and skills development in Agriculture. “In education, we brought free primary and secondary education and teacher merit reform. We enhanced the instruction and infrastructure of our universities. “These were the promises made and these are the promises we kept. Lamenting that the Federal Government had on more than one occasion failed to meet its statutory obligations to states, he stressed the need for states to reduce their dependence on federal subventions. He said his administration overcame the challenges by raising its IGR by blocking leakages and ensuring effective revenue collection. The governor, however, said that the state still had a long journey “to democratic prosperity.” He added, “The good thing is that it is a journey, not a destination. There is an ever present danger that threatens to overwhelm us. It is dark and foul because it abhors our progress and good condition. “We have lit a lamp of progress in our land. This light may flicker for a season; I am convinced its flame will never be extinguished for it is the flame of human decency, justice and compassion,” he said. Fayemi appealed to the people to embrace peace irrespective of the political party they belonged. He warned that the good that took years to build could be wasted in an instant by the depravities of the few who are intent on plundering the state . Fayemi said, “While we have made some progress towards democratisation, the risk of radical reversal is considerable. As a people, we should resolve never to return to this dreadful malpractice. “It is possible for us to engage in competitive, partisan politics and even have intense political disagreements yet refrain from being violent and destructive. “We can be faithful to our political causes yet accord even our opponents due dignity and respect as human beings. “Our culture esteems respect, courtesy, and good breeding and these are traits we must preserve. As a people, we have sacred lines of behaviour and public decorum that must never be crossed. There are bounds of propriety that we should never transgress, no matter how intense the political disputes. The sanctity of human life must be held inviolate. “No pursuit of political office is worth a human life. Indeed, any political agenda that mortgages our humanity, whether for financial or material benefit, must be rejected. “Any agenda which turns our children into warring combatants over the crumbs of their rightful civic inheritance has to be resisted. We have to ensure that we do not foist a legacy of perpetual strife upon our children. Ekiti, the land of honour, must not become a wasteland.”
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 08:11:44 +0000
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