By; OLADELE ADEDAYO, Ado-Ekiti
As the Ekiti State Gubernatorial elections scheduled for July 14,this year draws closer,the state Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose has waved an Olive branch to those who are angry with him for showing his support for his deputy, Olusola Kolapo, an aspirant for the governorship position in July 14 poll, saying the on going reconciliation in PDP at the national level was geared towards ensuring a truce between him and the aggrieved parties.
Fayose particularly appealed to Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Amb Dare Bejide and Senator Biodun Olujimi among others who are governorship aspirants on the PDP platform to work with him.
“In politics, everybody wants to win but only one will win. Today, they are not happy that we are supporting Olusola Eleka, our being with Olusola is not the end of the journey,there is still primaries,it is a game,if you win, others will support you,if not take it in good faith, my own is I am happy with every good process. Our goal is to win the election.
” As an individual,I have the right to support whoever I deem fit,that does not take anything away from the contestant’s quality. The health rangers programme is continuous,they are on two weeks’ break,they will continue afterwards.
“If they are angry,I appeal to them, I am sorry,but that doesn’t change my support for Olusola Eleka. I don’t like to be an hypocrite and that is why I made known my position at the onset. the peace process that is on going is for all of us to work together and I appeal to them to work with me so we can win together. There are so many things we can do together.”
The governor who made the appeal yesterday while featuring on the state media outfits monthly programme tagged:”Meet your Governor” expressed confidence that his party would win the July 14 governorship poll with his deputy as the candidate adding his many developmental projects such as fly over,new market,dualized roads with street lights,among others are his scorecards that would defeat the APC.
Promising more projects,he said: “APC has gone to sleep in Ekiti. My awards are best expressed by the many projects I have done. The fly over bridge, Adunni Olayinka office,the new roads and dualised ones in all the local government areas,the new High court buildings, the new market which I will deliver before I leave by Gods grace. People would remember you eternal for what you do. I have been the governor who has done many projects more than all the governors that have ruled the state. A lot of people want to give me more awards but they are afraid .
“I have never lost any battle and I won’t lose any. So is the July 14, governorship poll in Ekiti State. I am the only one who has taken care of the the teachers they neglected and made those ones to come first in the country. I have come first in every areas of life even though my state receives one of the least allocation.
He explained reasons why his government is demolishing dilapidated buildings in the state.
“The demolitions in some areas of the state is necessary so our state can have a facelift. Those affected should not be offended, it is for the good of the society. I have just demolished the house of Anisulowo’s mother against his wish, all affected should please forgive me, it is in the Ekiti interest.
“The weather forecast for this year is not favourable,the rain is coming with heavy wind,I was at Abe Cocoa area of Ado-Ekiti,a pastor sold waterways to unsuspecting citizens, I am not going to wait till they are killed by flood,the building on waterways must give way.
I am not taking anybody’s land, tired buildings at the city centre have to give way for modern structures.
Governor Fayose dismissed as false the rumour that his government requested certificates of workers in a bid to sack some,saying”:It is cheap blackmail to say that we are requesting for certificates in the state. That is not true. It is also not true that we want to sack workers. We will not do that.
The FG want states to do staff audit as part of conditions to be given budget support. We did staff audit at the beginning of this administration and we are satisfied with it, I don’t have the intention of sacking anybody, what we are doing is headcount. If anybody asks you to bring certificates for verification, that person is not from me.
The FG want states to do staff audit as part of conditions to be given budget support. We did staff audit at the beginning of this administration and we are satisfied with it, I don’t have the intention of sacking anybody, what we are doing is headcount. If anybody asks you to bring certificates for verification, that person is not from me.
On the strike action that has made lecturers of the Ekiti State university to stay at home for about six weeks,he said: ” EKSU strike is regrettable but I urge them to show understanding,I always table all accruals before leadership of the workers,I have been very transparent from day one.
We have met with the leadership of ASSU,I have been clear to them. It is not a thing of joy for me to owe workers. We can’t impose the tax on people. Even the lecturers are under paying their taxes. They are appealing to me on this.”
Governor Fayose spoke on the annual womens celebration coming up in March 8 in the state saying: “Women will be celebrated again this year in a grand style, all is set for the #20,000 for 10,000 Ekiti women I promised, you will get the alert before March 8th which is the World Women’s Day.
Reiterating his stand on stopping the proposed $1 billion from the Excess Crude oil account, he said: ” APC has spent over #3 trillion on Boko Haram and insurgency, they want to take another $1b from the excess crude account. Transparency International has said the Buhari administration is very corrupt, that is why the #3 trillion is not translating into victory over Boko Haram.
There was a meeting back then that Okadas be banned, I told them expressly that I will never be a party to that. Under PDP, petrol was sold for #87/litre, today you can’t get it for #145, APC has only brought hardship on Nigerians. Crude oil price is on the rise, yet allocation to states is shrinking.
I am in court already, that money belongs to us all, the federal government alone can’t have it to itself, we need our share of the money. They might hate Ekiti because I am telling FG the truth but God will change this government and give peace unto Nigerians, ” he said.
