The Ekiti State government has announced that it has keyed into the new financial bailout proposed by the Federal Government, saying it had met all the conditions necessary to access the fund meant to settle civil servants’ salaries.
This, the state government said in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, would complement its efforts at prudently managing the resources of the state to meet the expectations of all Ekiti people.
Briefing newsmen after the Executive Council meeting presided over by Deputy Governor Kolapo Olusola, the Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo, said the Ayodele Fayose-led administration had taken all necessary steps to benefit from the fresh plan by the FG to ameliorate the financial conditions of state governments.
Ojo therefore, called on public servants in the state, who are currently on strike to return to their duty posts and remember that Fayose’s love for civil servants and Ekiti people in general remained firm.
Also briefing newsmen, the Commissioner for Justice, Mr Owoseni Ajayi, frowned at the fresh attempt by The Presidency and some of its agencies to harass, intimidate and threaten officials of the state government over issues long-determined and settled by the Supreme Court.
“We condemn in strong terms alleged threat, intimidation, harassment and embarrassment of officials of the state government by agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Department of State Security (DSS) and even The Presidency over issues already settled by the Supreme Court.
“The allegations are to coerce the people of the state and they should note that the government was popularly elected by the people of the state about two years ago and the All Progressives Congress (APC) which was defeated then went through all legal processes to challenge the election and lost.
“Using a military panel that assessed not only Ekiti poll, but Osun, Rivers and presidential poll is an exercise in futility
. Ekiti is peaceful, we don’t have miltancy or Boko Haram trouble and we don’t want anyone to provoke us and the people of the state. Nobody in the government, organs of the government and lawmakers doing their legitimate duties should be intimidated, harassed or threatened in whatever form.
“They are doing all this because Fayose is the only voice of the opposition in the country and that is permissible under democracy and when Dr Goodluck Jonathan was the President, former governors Kayose Fayemi, Rotimi Amaechi and Babatunde Fashola criticised him and they were not harassed or intimidated. To use state apparatus to harass anybody will be resisted. What Fayose is saying is assisting the government and the people of Nigeria in general,” he said.
Also, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Lanre Ogunsuyi, said all lovers and defenders of democracy should not just watch and see the opposition being muzzled.
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