Ekiti bars minister, aide from public office for 10 years

According to a report by Vanguard, Fayemi, an ex-governor of the state was barred from public office alongside his Finance Commissioner, Dapo Kolawole.

The Ekiti State Executive Council declared the duo as unfit to hold any public office in Ekiti State and Nigeria for 10 years.

The decision followed the acceptance of the report of the white paper on the Judicial Panel of Inquiry by the Ekiti State Executive Council.

“Their disrespect to the constituted authority and the undignified roles they played in the whole contracts saga were obviously against the interest of the state they were supposed to protect. They are banned from holding public office in Ekiti and any part of Nigeria,” the state executive council declared.

ALSO READ: Ekiti panel ends proceedings, set to submit report soon on minister

The Ban

According to the Commissioner for Information, Lanre Ogunsuyi, who made this known after the State Executive Council deliberated on the white paper.

It was reported that the ban was predicated on the refusal of the duo to appear before the commission even after the determination of the case challenging the inauguration of the commission of Inquiry before the Ekiti State High Court.

The white paper revealed that the government mandated Fayemi and his Finance Commissioner to refund N2.7 billion which was allegedly allocated for the execution of the contract for ultra-modern market but never executed.

The government further direct the Ministry of Justice to institute appropriate legal actions to this effect.

Ogunsuyi said: ”Government view accountability and probity as hallmark of good governance. Therefore, the government decided to set up the Judicial Panel of Inquiry in line with its law enacted in 2012. “The government viewed seriously the report and it intend to carry out all the recommendations in the report.

“His Excellency, Dr Kayode Fayemi and the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Dapo Kolawole should be made to account for the difference of N340 million from the N1.5 billion earmarked from the bond proceeds for the upgrade of infrastructure at Ikogosi warm spring which could not be accounted for. ”

Fayose defends the State Executive Council's decision

Governor Ayodele Fayose has defended the SEC's decision on the white paper, saying that the government has done what is right.

Fayose made this known while receiving the report of the White Paper Committee set up to consider the report of the judicial panel of inquiry into the financial transactions of the last administration between year 2010 and 2014.

He said, “We are doing what is right within the ambit of the Law by appointing competent people for the assignment. We must be seen to be doing the right thing and it is not wrong to ask how the finances of the state have been appropriated within a given time and we are following due process.

“The APC government says they are looking into this and that. Even if you say the panel is biased, what can anyone do? I am not part of the panel that sat for the inquiry. They submitted the report to me and I presented it to the tappropriate organ and I will do the same with this document. This is not personal in any way, we are only doing the right thing and following due process. ”

ALSO READ: Fayemi says Fayose's probe panel is a kangaroo one

"The Presidency appointed Ibrahim Magu, and Professor Mamoud and these people are doing their work. The Federal Government also appointed jugdes, does this mean that these appointees would not do the right things?, ” he said.

Fayemi says the inquiry panel is a kangaroo one

Dr Kayode Fayemi has described the panel of inquiry inaugurated by Governor Ayo Fayose's probe panel as a kangaroo one.

Fayemi said the panel, which was set up by the incumbent governor to probe his administration is a kangaroo one which sole aim to attempt to smear his reputation and render him unpopular by the PDP-led government.