Ekiti: Fayose takes over, workers call off strike

Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Feyisetan Fayose; her husband, Ayo; and the Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, during the swearing-in of Fayose

THE old, young men and women trooped out in large numbers on Thursday to witness the inauguration of Ayodele Peter Fayose   as the new governor of Ekiti State.

Majority of them, dressed in different colours of the inauguration uniform, started arriving at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium venue of the ceremony in Ado-Ekiti as early as 7am.

At the ceremony, six All Progressives Congress members of the state House of Assembly that defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, were received by the PDP National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu.

The defectors   are Olowo Ajiboye,   Adeloye Adeyinka,   Abeni Olayinka,   Fatunbi Olajide,   Olugbemi Joseph   and Adeojo Ayodele.

The people   roared with songs as Fayose, decked in a white dansiki and sokoto, arrived at the venue at 12.40pm in a light green 1965 model Mercedez Benz W110 in company with his wife, Feyisetan. Feyisetan wore a green attire.

Apart from   musicians, including Yinka Ayefele, who thrilled the crowd, there were   performances by masqueraders at the sideline.

People coming into the stadium were asked to raise their hands for security checks. Security operatives had a hectic time controlling the crowd.

Three police helicopters hovered the sky of Ado Ekiti while   four Armour Personnel Carriers were stationed at strategic locations.

The Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, personally led the police team that provided security for the state Chief Judge,   Justice Ayodeji Daramola, who administered the oath of office on Fayose and his deputy, Olusola Eleka.

Lakanu had on Wednesday night met various interest groups, including the Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria, the NURTW, okada riders and political parties.

Before delivering his inaugural speech, Fayose ordered the observance of a minute silence in honour of a former state Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Omolafe Aderiye, who was murdered by some gunmen.

Fayose in a crowd (r) in Ado-Ekiti… on Thursday

Aderiye, a staunch supporter of Fayose, was killed on September 25 in the wake of violence that erupted in the state.

The new governor also asked for a minute silence to announce the ‘burial’ of the APC in the state.

One of the highlights of the speech was when Fayose decreed “stomach infrastructure” at the ceremony which was not attended by his predecessor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

He said, “My emergence is divine. That is why the more they fight me, the more they make me popular.

“When they write about me in the papers, they want me to be the governor of their imagination. But I am governor of your imagination. I am the governor that eats boli with you; the governor that drinks agbo jedi with you.

“You have successfully supported me to serve you and send them back with their agenda to their master in Lagos.”

Fayose also went spiritual in his speech when he said God spoke to him to forgive the state for his unjust removal as governor in 2006 and to also decree peace to the people.

“Today I declare peace, prosperity, progress, employment, food and stomach infrastructure,” he said.

He   announced that he would appoint a special adviser for stomach infrastructure and provide rice as well as chickens for them to celebrate Christmas.

The governor said, “I will dedicate myself to your service; I will banish hunger in your midst; I will work hard to put food on your table. Whether they call it food infrastructure is their business because I’m going to appoint a Special Adviser for Stomach Infrastructure.”

“If I put car on the road and I’m hungry and my children can’t go to school, that car is meaningless. But putting food inside the stomach is very important. I’m breeding your chicken for Christmas; I’m getting your rice ready to do stomach infrastructure….”

As the jubilant crowd shouted ‘yes oh’ in appreciation, he then lashed out at the Fayemi administration for what he described as recklessness in managing the state’s finances.

He said the Fayemi administration which had 157 accounts in different banks committed the state to financial liability of N84bn.

According to him, it will take the state six years to get out of the financial burden.

He argued that despite the huge sums expended by the outgone administration there was no corresponding impact on the lives of the people of the state.

Fayose urged the people   to be patient with his administration, saying the next few months would be slightly rough because of huge financial deficit to offset.

The governor said, “They have committed this state to the tune of N84bn and we are committed up until year 2020. The records are there. New discoveries will be made public very soon. They left without paying wages. Since the former governor lost election, he appointed eight permanent secretaries when there was no vacancy.

“To my amazement, he employed over 3,000 people. To my amazement, an outgoing government created 19 extra local government areas. It’s unfortunate; it is sad. And I want to appeal to you to give me all the necessary cooperation and understanding because the next few months might be slightly rough. They have every month, a deficit of N552m. I don’t know how a government can be this reckless.”

The governor, who said he left over N10.4bn in cash and sureties in the state in October 2006, expressed regret that the money was depleted by successive governments which began with the interim “quasi-military” which took over when he was removed.

Fayose accused the previous governments of serving interests other than that of the ordinary man.

He said, “My heart bleeds today that our state has been plunged into heavy debt of well over N49bn by our own brothers and sisters who claimed to be our leaders. They took a bond of N21bn and then took another N10bn. Other bank loans N15.5bn. Outstanding salaries, instead of two months, it’s now three months running to about N5bn.

“Since after election they refused to pay salary monthly salaries of about N2.4bn. When they deny this, I’ll publish it in the papers with the names of such banks and everything that went through them. I know they are good at propaganda, but the world would know that these people do not love their people.”

He added that unpaid subventions to parastatals and tertiary institutions, 2014 leave bonuses, unpaid pension and gratuities amounted to about N57.45bn, whereas monthly accruable income of the state stood at about N3.3bn.

Fayose also said he was surprised to discover that the state had 157 bank accounts and none of them has up to N1m in it.

He said he did not want to join issues with the Fayemi administration, which “was responsible for the huge debt profile,” but wanted to let the people know the state of the state’s finances.

Fayose noted that he had made history by being the first Ekiti man to take the oath of office as governor   twice and also the first to have defeated two incumbents.

“When I defeated them, they said it was as a result of stomach infrastructure. How can an incumbent say that? You have the money; you have the power; you have the might; you disconnect yourself from the people. They are gone; I say they are gone,” he added.

Fayose also pleaded with the media to give him a chance as the representative of ordinary people of Ekiti State.

On the programme of his government, Fayose said the focus would be on economic empowerment; development of agriculture; infrastructural development; affordable housing schemes; education; provision of free health care for children, women and people living with disability; as well as security.

Promising that a military formation would be established in the state, he warned that civil servants who allowed politics to get in the way of their jobs would be sacked.

Fayose directed the Head of Service   to return all     officers redeployed on June 21 to their substantive positions.

He voided all appointments and promotions that were effected after the June governorship election and promised that a   panel would be constituted to reorganise the civil service.

The governor blamed the recent events that led to the attacks on court premises and judges on the leadership of the APC. He alleged that it desperately wanted to steal the mandate that was given to him by Ekiti people.

Fayose pleaded with the judiciary and the state legislature to put those events behind them and work amicably with him for the development of the state.

He also promised to   make the judiciary in the state the best in the country.

Prominent people that witnessed the ceremony were the PDP National Secretary, Prof. Olusola Oladipo; governor Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo); Theodore Orji (Abia); Liyel Imoke (Cross River); Ramalan Yero (Kaduna); Isa Yuguda (Bauchi); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Ibrahim Shema (Katsina); Usman Dakingari (Kebbi); and Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta).

Former governors Rasheed Ladoja (Oyo); Peter Obi (Anambra); and Christopher Alao-Akala (Oyo); the former PDP governorship candidates   in Osun and Ondo states.   Iyiola Omisore and   Olusola Oke, were also in attendance.

The Chairman, South-West PDP Mobilisation Committee, Chief Buruji Kasamu;   former Acting Governor of the state, Tunji Odeyemi, senatorial aspirant, Mrs. Fatima Raji-Rasaki; Minister of State for Works, Chief Dayo Adeyeye; outgoing Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro; a former Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade, as well as   royal fathers in the state led by their chairman and the Onitaji of Itaji, Oba Adamo Babalola.

Fayose appoints SSG, CPS, SAs

Fayose later announced   the appointments of Dr. Modupe Alade as Secretary to the State Government and   Mr. Idowu Adelusi as his Chief Press Secretary.

Owoseni Ajayi was named his Special Assistant   on Legal Matters.

Adelusi, in a statement, said   Kayode Oso, would serve as Fayose’s Special Assistant   on Works and Infrastructure; Sola Owoeye,   Special Assistant   on Protocol;   and     Sola Olowookere,   Personal Assistant ( Abuja).

Toyin Ojo was appointed special assistant   on Finance; Sunday Anifowose,   Personal Assistant   on Special Duties   and Stomach Infrastructure;   Sunday Omosilade,   personal assistant   on Domestic Matters and   Lere Olayinka,   special assistant   on Information and Social Media.

Workers suspend strike

Meanwhile, Ekiti State   workers have suspended the   two- week- old   strike they   declared over the the non- payment of their two-month salaries and allowances.

The State Joint Negotiating Council Chairman,   Oladipupo Johnson, broke the news to our correspondent in Ado-Ekiti.

He said the workers agreed to suspend the strike in order to honour   Fayose after a meeting with the Head of Service, Mr. Bunnies Famosaya.

Johnson   said, “We met at the Labour House and agreed to suspend the strike in order to allow the new government settle down. This is to allow him to settle down in office to find solutions to pending issues with workers.

“That is the position as of now. We have directed all the striking unions under the JNC to ask their members to resume on Friday. We want to allow him to put an end to all the bad policies where salaries of workers will not be paid and the government will be withholding deductions, and other related issues.

“We expect all workers in the public service to resume tomorrow (Friday).”

He   said the council had earlier met with government officials on Wednesday where it refused to suspend the strike pending the inauguration of Fayose.

While declaring the strike on October 2, Johnson had said, “It is unfortunate to note that in spite of the pronouncement and promises from top government functionaries, there seem to be no light at the end of the tunnel . Sequel to the following, the workers of the public service had met and directed that no worker should come to work today, October 2, 2014 and this subsists until all conditions are met.

“And any worker who refuses to obey this simple directive dos so at his or her own risk since the leaders would not take responsibility for anything that happens.”

Johnson, who said the council had been in dialogue with Fayemi in the last three months over the issues, expressed surprise that the workers were not paid even after government received two allocations.

“We don’t want to stay back and allow our people to be dying on the streets because we are gradually becoming beggars. The Government has not paid salaries in the last two months, that is why we ask them to be at home and look for alternative ways of existence

“They are owing full salaries for August and September and 60 per cent deductions in the June and July salaries. And going by evidence we had, the former governor had collected two allocations without remembering that these salaries should be paid.

“We have met with the Head of Service, the Accountant General and other relevant people and what they agreed was that the salaries will be paid by October 1, 2014.’’