[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t 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 Congress, APC, especially Kayode Fayemi, the minister of mines and steel development.
When I said that I won’t leave office as a debtor of salary, going by the efforts I have made, I was sure that the over N12 billion owed the State by the federal government on construction and rehabilitation of federal roads will be paid to Ekiti like other states 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 Dapo Kolawole, his former Commissioner for finance, instituted a case against Ekiti State at Abeokuta, seeking an order to stop the payment of N11 billion due to Ekiti as refund for construction and rehabilitation of federal roads.
One wonders why a case involving Ekiti was instituted in Abeokuta when we have a Federal High Court here in Ekiti. It is clear that this is an attempt at shopping for court order to prevent Ekiti people from getting the refund due to the state.
Sadly, the N11 billion refund that should have been paid to Ekiti State this month is said to have been stopped by the federal government, relying on the court action.
My question is; must Ekiti people, especially the workers be made to suffer by their won just because of desperation for the coming governorship election? Is it by this inhuman act that these APC people intend to realize their tall dream of taking over Ekiti State by force?
I consider this as wickedness taken too far against one’s own people. My salary as a governor is under one million naira, now imagine those workers that will suffer from this wickedness all in the name of opposition politics.
They believe that when they strangulate this State in terms on finances, they will be able to have an inroad into the State.
This is even more worrisome when one reflects that it was this same APC government of Fayemi that plunged the State into huge debt, which led to irregular payment of salary. On this debt, about N1 billion is being deducted from Ekiti allocation monthly.
It is equally unfortunate that despite being in charge of the ministry of solid minerals, his office has not benefitted Ekiti regarding the available minerals resources in the State. No single road project has been done in this State since the beginning of the APC federal government.
It is my belief that the well-being of the people should be the utmost concern of all of us irrespective of our political affiliation. Ekiti people must not be made to suffer just because anyone has political issues with me.
Even though I remain undaunted, I just have to place it on record that once again, the collective interest of Ekiti and its people is being sacrificed on the altar selfish political interest.
However, I wish to assure our workers that I will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the evil plans of these political desperadoes in the APC do not materialize. I will use all legal means to stop this wicked plot to deny our State its legitimate entitlements.
I also call on Ekiti people to continue to pray against whoever that is plotting against their well-being.
Ayo Fayose
Governor, Ekiti State
