Fayose Accuses FG Of Withholding Ekiti Refund On Road Projects
Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose on Wednesday accused the federal
government of stopping payment due to the state as refund on road
projects.
Addressing a press conference in Ado Ekiti Fayose said the move being
allegedly spearheaded by his predecessor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and the
All Progressives Congress (APC) was design to frustrate his efforts to
pay backlog of workers salary arrears being owed by the state
government.
The governor said the latest onslaught was aimed at destabilising the
state government ahead of the July governorship election.
He said, “It is with heavy heart and deep sense of responsibility that
I address you today on the latest display of deep seated hatred
against Ekiti State and its people by leadership of the All
Progressives, especially the Minister of Mines and Steel Development,
Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
“When I said that I won’t leave office owing workers, I was
sure that the over N12bn owed the state by the federal government on
construction and rehabilitation of federal roads will be paid this
month.
“However, I am shocked that in their usual characteristics of working
against every effort to alleviate the sufferings of the people, Dr.
Fayemi through his Commissioner for Finance, Dapo Kolawole, went to
court in Abeokuta seeking an order that the N11bn refund should not be
paid to my administration.
“Because of this court action, the refund that should have been made
this month is said to have been stopped.
“My question is: must Ekiti people, especially the workers be made to
suffer just because of the forthcoming governorship election? Is it by
inhuman act that these APC people intend to realise their tall dream
of taking over Ekiti state by force?
“I consider this as wickedness taken too far against one’s own people
all in the name of election.
“It is my belief that irrespective of our political affiliation, the
wellbeing. And interest of our people should come first.
Fayose said it was worrisome that it was the same APC government of
Fayemi that ran the state into huge debts, which led to the irregular
payment of workers salary.
With the recent effort to stop the payment, the governor said the APC
had exposed itself that it lied when claiming that refund had been
made to his government in the past.
“Today the story has changed. The same money they claimed was paid in
the past must now be stopped.
“This action is not against me but the good people of Ekiti.
“Ekiti people should recall that this same opposition APC, out of
sheer wickedness lied in 2015 that the federal government refunded
N22bn spent on road construction to my government. Then I made it
known that no refund was made. Rather, the federal government owed
Ekiti State N2.2bn.
“One wonders why a case affecting Ekiti was filed in Abeokuta if not
for forum shopping so that the federal government can hide under the
matter in court.
“We want the federal government to realise that it is its primary duty
to make life easy for the people. It is worrisome that while we have
many mineral deposit here in Ekiti, our son as the Minister of Mines
and Steel Development has turned his back on his own people.
“It is a shame that Ekiti has not benefited anything from the federal
government in close to three years of this administration.”
