By; Oladele Adedayo, Ado-Ekiti.
Ekiti State House of Assembly has summoned the immediate past Governor and current Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi to appear before it and explain how the N852 million Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) fund was expended by his administration.
The Assembly at Wednesday’s plenary in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital presided over by its Speaker, Mr. Kola Oluwawole, made the call through unanimous resolution.
According to the Assembly, the resolution which was in pursuant to Sections128 (1)(2) and 129(c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 as amended, also gave March 22 for the former governor to appear before it.
The Leader of Government Business, Mr. Tunji Akinyele, who moved the motion, said the misappropriated UBEC fund had caused the state to be black-listed by the commission.
Many contributors to the debate who included, Mr. Segun Akinwumi, Deputy Speaker, Mr. Gboyega Aribisogan and Mr. Ekundayo Akinleye said UBEC had barred Ekiti from accessing any fund from the commission for now.
They expressed worry that the sanction by UBEC could be detrimental to the development of the education sector in the state.
The Lawmakers said the diversion of the fund contravened Sections 11(2) of UBEC Act, calling on the former governor and current Minister to appear before and make clarification.
Akinyele in an interview with newsmen shortly after the plenary said,”I am sure that Dr. Kayode Fayemi as a law abiding citizen will appear before the assembly to explain how his government expended the fund.”
The Assembly which also condemned the prolong detention of its arrested members by DSS, called for their immediate release or they be charged to court with immediate effect.
Another resolution reached on the alleged invasion of the Assembly by men of the Department for State Security, (DSS) was the call on the National Assembly to prevail on the Federal Government to remove the siege on the State House of Assembly.
It would be recalled that the Assembly had on Friday, March 4 alleged the invasion of the complex by some security men and the eventual whisking away of four Members.
