Ekiti State Governor, Chief Ayodele Fayose (right) signing the budget while the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Pastor Kola Oluwawole ( 2nd right) and other law makers watch at the Governor's Office, Ado Ekiti on Friday
Ekiti State Governor, Chief Ayodele Fayose (right) signing the budget while the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Pastor Kola Oluwawole ( 2nd right) and other law makers watch at the Governor’s Office, Ado Ekiti on Friday
THE Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, on Friday signed the 2018 supplementary budget of N9.9bn into law.
Fayose at the event graced by Speaker Kola Oluwawole and some members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, chided the All Progressives Congress and the Governor-elect, Dr Kayode Fayemi, for raising questions on the budget.
He said: “It is amusing to hear that Dr Kayode Fayemi said the revised budget being signed today was unnecessary. He (Fayemi) signed his own on September 15, 2014, exactly a month to his leaving office, now I’m signing my own on September 14. They should keep quiet and stop crying wolf, I’m still the governor.
“It is amusing that Fayemi won’t stop at anything to blackmail me even when he had to go to ridiculous level.”
“This revised budget being signed today September 14, 2018, Fayemi did sign the same kind of budget on September 15, 2014, when he had less than a month to leave office. Maybe he has forgotten, but Ekiti people are not suffering from dementia and are students of history.
“The Clerk of the House in 2014 when Fayemi signed his revised budget, Mr Tola Esan is still the clerk and he is here today. We are not robots and when there are things to attend to we will still do that before we leave office.
“When Fayemi finally resumes, he can turn the state upside down, history will record him.”
Accusing President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC of taking hypocrisy to a ridiculous height in governance, Fayose said he had acted within the law by sending the budget to the assembly for appropriation and that what he was doing was for the benefit of Ekiti people.
He said: “They are confusing Nigeria, confusing the public, I don’t know the level they have taken hypocrisy to.
“Recently President Buhari paid for fighter jets from excess crude account without appropriation, and heaven did not fall. This is sheer hypocrisy.”
The governor urged the assembly to cooperate with Fayemi when he assumes office in the interest of the state.
“Don’t fight Fayemi when he comes, serve Ekiti. Ekiti is our common goal, politicians will come and go. The House remains. Ekiti is our project, so you must work with him for the good of the state.
“Do your work and leave them to their conscience and their propaganda.”