Ekiti: Fayemi honours outstanding youths, gifts winners of JKF Essay Competition - ITREALMS

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Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has presented awards and letters of recognition to 13 outstanding Ekiti youths who have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields of endeavour, reports ITREALMS.

They include the 17 years old Master Idowu Jeremiah who made nine distinctions in this year’s May/June WAEC and had the highest score in the University Matriculation Examination (UME), held in May.

Rigging Allegation: Oshiomhole still suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder says Fayemi - ITREALMS

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The Governor of Ekiti State and Presidential Aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Kayode Fayemi has denied any rigging alliance with the former National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole that he once asked him to rig an election in his favour, reports ITREALMS.

Reacting, Fayemi said Oshiomhole is most likely still suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder over his removal as party chairman, insisting there is no reason for such a request in the first instance.

Fayemi confirms Daramola SSG, Ibitola as COS - ITREALMS

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The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has named the Special Adviser, Governor’s Office, Mr Foluso Daramola, as the new Secretary to the State Government, reports ITREALMS.

This is coming as the Governor also named the Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Tolu Ibitola, as the new Chief of Staff to the Governor.

35yrs: Fayemi names state civic centre after Pa Awo - ITREALMS

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The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has named the recently inaugurated ultra modern Civic and Convention Centre, in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, after the late sage and former Premier of the defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

The gesture, according to a release personally signed by Governor Fayemi in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, is in commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the death of the late Awolowo. The Civic and Convention centre, which was commissioned by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) on October 14, 2021, is now to be known as Obafemi Awolowo Civic Centre, Ado-Ekiti.

Fayemi doles out N360m to 24 communities, boosts healthcare, water & sanitation - ITREALMS

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The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi on Tuesday distributed cheques worth N360 million to 24 communities in the state as part of efforts to cushion the effect of Covid-19 pandemic on the poor and vulnerable as well as ensure reduction of poverty to the barest minimum in the state.

Dr. Fayemi, Who personally presented the cheques to representatives of the communities at the Oshuntokun Hall, Government House, Ado-Ekiti, said the fund would focus on three specific result areas: education, healthcare services, water and sanitation.

Fayemi felicitates with newly elected APC national officers, lauds Buni-led caretaker - ITREALMS

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The Ekiti State Governor and Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi has congratulated the newly elected national executives of the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the chairmanship of former Nassarawa State Governor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu on their emergence at the party’s just concluded national Convention in Abuja.

He also lauded the APC National Caretaker Committee headed by Yobe State Governor, Mai Malla Buni for organising a successful national convention, aimed at further strengthening the party ahead of 2023 general election, in addition to holding the party together for almost two years.

Elders welfare, my top priority says Fayemi - ITREALMS

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The Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has assured that the welfare of the people especially the elderly top on its agenda, reports ITREALMS.

Governor Fayemi stated this on Tuesday during the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the elderly peoples’ resort in Ado-Ekiti.

Fayemi greets Vice President Osinbajo @64 - ITREALMS

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The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi has felicitated with the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, SAN; who turns 64 years old on Monday, March 8th, reports ITREALMS.

Dr Fayemi in a goodwill message in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday, described Prof Osinbajo as a distinguished Nigerian, a pragmatic leader and man of honour with proven integrity, who deserves all the accolades befitting a national hero.

Gbenga Aruleba @60, a worthy ambassador of Ekiti says Fayemi - ITREALMS

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The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has described a renowned broadcast journalist, Mr. Gbenga Aruleba, as worthy ambasssador of the state, as he marks his 60th birthday, reports ITREALMS.

Dr. Fayemi in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Olayinka Oyebode, said Aruleba has found the favour of the Almighty attaining the diamond age in good health and fulfilment.

The Governor noted that Aruleba, who hails from Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State, is a worthy ambassador of the Land of Honour and an example of the noble ideals Ekitis are known for.

Aruleba, according to the Governor, had a stellar broadcasting career and acquired local and international recognition with his unique presentation style especially in his popular news and current affairs programme, FOCUS NIGERIA, on Africa Independent Television (AIT).

The Governor hailed Aruleba's contributions to the sustenance of democracy, rule of law, good governance, probity, accountability and transparency.

He described Aruleba as a highly cerebral political analyst, a great presenter, dedicated producer and a reformer who make use of his media platform to advocate a better Nigeria and speak truth to power.

Describing Aruleba as a committed patriot who loved his home state dearly, Dr. Fayemi recalled that the celebrated broadcast journalist is always ready to make his services available to his state of origin whenever he is called upon.

He recalled Aruleba's contributions as a member of the Fact-Finding Committee that investigated the running of the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES) by the past administration joining other panelists to come up with appropriate recommendations.

The Governor said the recommendation of the Panel, of which Aruleba served as a member, has gone a long way in repositioning the state-owned media corporation which has become more efficient, professional and impartial in news reportage.

Dr. Fayemi prayed God to grant Aruleba long life, good health and more fruitful years to continue to serve Ekiti and Nigeria meritoriously.

Ayo Midele/Editor

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Fayemi reinstates commitment to complete secretariat complex - ITREALMS

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The Ekiti State government led by Governor John Fayemi, has approved the completion of phase V of the State Secretariat complex with the aim of creating a more conducive working environment for workers in the State, reports ITREALMS.

The State Commissioner for Information, Tourism and Values Orientation, Aare Muyiwa Olumilua, made this known in Ado -Ekiti on Monday while briefing journalists on the outcome of the last State Executive Council meeting.

The Commissioner said the Council approved #290,941,856.36 for Lot 1 and #321,055,946.70 for Lot 2 of the State Secretariat complex; adding that the projects are expected to be completed within six months.

Olumilua disclosed that the Council equally approved earth dredging of Osun stream channel, construction of concrete channel at Temidire/ Ifedore street, and the reconstruction of a failed culvert at Ajolagun in Ikere Ekiti at a sum of #140,088,688.25.

He added that a sum of #194,530,627.27 was approved for the earth dredging of critical areas in Ado Ekiti. These areas include Onala – Balemo –Elemi; Ita Eku – Poly road –Emirin; Omisanjana –Ureje – 133KVA; Awajin –Ureje road and Ireakari- Ilawe road covering a distance of 18,500 metres and will be completed within 12 weeks. The dredging works are aimed at arresting the incessant flooding of the areas.

According to Olumilua, the State Executive Council also approved the following Ekiti State Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Bill 2019; which seeks a better outlaw any form of discrimination against persons living with disabilities in the state.

Another major decision of the meeting was the approval for the procurement and distribution of 10,000 bags of customized Safe Delivery kits (aka Mama Kits) across the 16 LGAs in Ekiti State. This is to ensure that pregnant women are well equipped with necessary health care materials for safe delivery. The project will cost the state government a total #54,200,000.00, as approved by the council.

Olumilua who was flanked by the Commissioners in charge of Works and Environment ministries, Mr Sola Adebayo and Hon Gbenga Agbeyo and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Yinka Oyebode, at the briefing said the Dr Kayode Fayemi-led government was doing everything possible to put smiles on the faces of the people of the state, through effective implementation of the administration’s five- pillar agenda for developmental.

Ayo Midele/Editor

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Oxford@20: Fayemi, Tambuwal to speak on democracy in Nigeria - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Governor of Ekiti State and the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi, and the Governor of Sokoto State and the Deputy Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Mallam Aminu Tambuwal, will both speak at an International Conference on “20 Years of Democracy in Nigeria: 1999-2019” at Oxford University, United Kingdom on Friday, 6th December 2019.

The one-day Conference is hosted by the African Studies Centre, University of Oxford. Governors Fayemi and Tambuwal, who will be the special guests at the conference, are expected to reflect on Nigeria’s Fourth Republic in their addresses to the international audience.

Renowned American scholar of democracy and author of Class, Ethnicity and Democracy in Nigeria: The Failure of the First Republic, Professor Larry Diamond, will give the keynote address at the conference where many scholars based in Nigeria, Europe and the United States will present papers. Diamond will speak on “20 years of Semi-Democracy in Nigeria: Future Challenges for Democratic Development.”

The convener of the conference, Professor Wale Adebanwi, who is the Director of the Oxford African Studies Centre and Rhodes Professor of Race Relations states that: “As Nigeria celebrates two decades of democracy, the structural errors of the state and the fundamental contradictions of the society that democratic governance was expected to confront or manage have deepened. The hopes invested in the country’s return to democratic rule in 1999 seem to be flagging as Nigeria is confronted with a myriad of political, economic and social crises. Yet, given her historical experiences, there is no better alternative to democratic governance in Nigeria.” In light of this, the participants at the conference “will explore the political, economic and social forces, processes, and challenges which have shaped Nigeria in the Fourth Republic.”

Those expected to present papers at the conference include Professor Eghosa Osaghae, formerly the Vice Chancellor of the Igbinedon University, Dr Jubrin Ibrahim of the Centre for Democracy and Development, Abuja, Dr Peter Lewis of Johns Hopkins University, USA, Professor Adigun Agbaje of the University of Ibadan, Professor Okechukwu Ibeanu of INEC, Abuja, Dr Aliyu Moddibo Umar, former FCT Minister and currently a Visiting Fellow at Oxford University, Ms Idayat Hassan of the CCD, Abuja, Dr Zainab Usman of the World Bank, Dr Kingsley Moghalu, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Professor Nic Cheeseman of Birmingham University, UK, Professor Rotimi Suberu of Bennington University, USA, Professor Ebenezer Obadare of the University of Kansas, USA, Dr Adam Higazi of the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Professor Ricardo Soares de Oliviera of Oxford University.

Ayo Midele/Editor

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Fayemi says fundamental restructuring inevitable - ITREALMS

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The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has urged Nigerians to always hold their leaders accountable in order to strengthen the nation's democracy, reports ITREALMS.

Dr. Fayemi pointed out that democracy goes beyond the right to choose leaders through the ballot, but stimulating civic engagement to better the lives of the citizens.

The Governor stated this on Wednesday while delivering a paper at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), Washington DC, United States. He also made a case for a fundamental restructuring of the country as a way of correcting the inherent flaws in the polity.

Governor Fayemi's lecture was entitled: "Twenty Years of Democracy in Nigeria: Successes and Challenges", at the event with the theme : Deepening Democratic Governance in Nigeria.

In attendance were Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom; former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Martin LutherAgwai; former INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega and a member of House of Representatives, Hon Aishatu Dukku; as well as officials of the US Department of State, scholars and members of the civil society.

While noting that Nigeria has made significant progress as a democracy since returning to civil rule in 1999, Dr. Fayemi opined that "democracy is a journey and not a destination" hence the need to address imbalances in the Nigerian federation.

He maintained that a fundamental restructuring of the Nigerian federation is an "unavoidable step for the creation and sustenance of a participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, responsive and equitable national governance based on respect for the rule of law.

Fayemi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) explained that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) included restructuring in its 2015 and 2019 manifestoes and has been working towards it in a bid to use its platform to address the perceived structural imbalance.

The restructuring, Dr. Fayemi said, must address issues like writing the people's constitution and the question of constitutional governance, the fundamental precepts of authorising principles of national togetherness, citizenship and national question, the political economy of federalism including the allocation of public revenue, security sector governance, human rights, social justice, electoral system, type of government-parliamentary or presidential, among others.

While urging the Nigerian populace to show more interest in governance and hold their leaders accountable, Dr. Fayemi stated that " an indifference might be dangerous for democracy" as Democratic institutions cannot be strengthened in a climate of of apathy and "clinical disengagement."

Dr. Fayemi said: "The current phase of the struggle is therefore not just about maintaining the sanctity of the ballot but also holding those elected accountable and stimulating civic engagement in the public realm, in a way that democratizes ownership and improve the quality of life of our people.

"We must banish the idea that governance is something performed by a team of gifted performers or strong men, while the rest of the citizens are spectators or complainers." he said.

“What we established in 1999 is the right to choose our leaders via the ballot. But democracy is more than just the ability to choose one’s leaders. As Larry Diamond argues in his latest book, ’Ill Winds’, it means ‘strong protection for basic liberties, such as freedom of the press, association, assembly, belief and religion; the fair treatment of racial and cultural minorities; a robust rule of law; in which all citizens are equal under the law and no one is above it; an independent judiciary to uphold that principle, trust-worthy law enforcement institutions to check the potential for high government officials to behave corruptly; and a lively civil society made up of independent associations, social movements…" Fayemi said.

“But there is a fundamental truth to the saying that politics is too important to be left to politicians. It is about redefining politics itself, transforming it from a rarefied craft reserved for a select few professional politicians, to the protocols and relationships that undergird personal, communal and social wellbeing. In other words, politics is the management of human relationships, interactions and aspirations in the service of the common good. It is not something mysterious that only ‘politicians’ do; it is how citizens operate. Politics is a civic responsibility. It is how we engage with each other. The pursuit of good governance means that politicians can no longer be left to their own devices.

“Seen in this light, the mutual estrangement of government and civil society will end. The civil society will continue to express the communal instinct to regulate power but the chronic antagonism that poisons relations between the state and civil society will be replaced by mutual respect and positive tension. Civic engagement means that the state can access a much larger pool of wisdom and knowledge made available by a new rapport with civil society. In return, participatory governance will become much more practicable across all levels of governance.

“Before we arrive at that new rapport between the state and society, we must work hard to address a lingering threat, a carry over from the days of military rule. The biggest challenge facing us as democrats is to rebuild trust between the state and society. The relationship between both spheres is often needlessly adversarial owing to a lack of trust. Simply put, Nigerians do not trust their governments and this has made it difficult, indeed in some cases, impossible, to build mass citizen movements for a fuller democratic engagement.”


According to Dr Fayemi “residual distrust of power” feeds apathy, disinterest and cynical disengagement.

“The people distrust their governments but not enough to actively check them and avert excesses of power. Rather, they distrust them so much that they desert the state and many simply do not care enough about the public realm. This indifference is dangerous for democracy. Democratic institutions cannot survive or be strengthened in a climate of antipathy nor can politicians long retain their legitimacy under such circumstances. If the price of a free society is eternal vigilance, then apathy will carry a severe penalty for our republic,” he said.

The Ekiti State Governor said looking back on two decades of democratisation in Nigeria, “it is instructive to note that only civic movements mobilised in the context of larger patriotic interests can overwhelm the forces of impunity. It is the discipline of civic engagement that will keep at bay those who wish to turn back the hands of the clock and return us to the dark days of totalitarian rule. The struggle we are engaged in is dedicated to making this democracy truly a government of the people, for the people and by the people, and by so doing honour the memory of all those who paid the supreme sacrifice pursuant of our common aspirations for the good society”.

Ambassador Johnnie Carson of the USIP and Gen Agwai led the discussion session after the Governor's presentation

Monitored by Ayo Midele/Editor

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Pix: Guest Speaker/Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi; delivering a lecture: “Twenty Years of Democratisation; Successes and Challenges “ at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in Washington D.C., USA…on Wednesday.

Senator Adeyeye’s ouster pain, laments Fayemi - ITREALMS

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The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has described Wednesday’s ruling of the Court of Appeal that nullified the election of Senator, representing Ekiti South, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, as painful, reports ITREALMS.

Dr Fayemi said more painful was the fact that the ruling of the Appellate Court that sat in Kaduna, remained final in the matter.

He therefore urged Senator Adeyeye to remain calm despite the judicial pronouncement, saying that the ruling, though shocking and unexpected, is not the end of his political career nor his public service.

The Governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Yinka Oyebode, in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, described Senator Adeyeye as a dogged fighter and a politician of repute who is loved by his people. He said he was convinced that the former Senate Spokesman would bounce back and play more significant roles in the nation’s politics.

He said the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Senator campaigned vigorously during the last election and got the endorsement of the people of the district, adding that that made the Court of Appel’s ruling quite disturbing.

“As we continue to deepen our democratic culture, we cannot but witness occasional setbacks of this nature. It is part of the sacrifice for our nation building.

“We must accept the decision of the appellate court- which is the final arbiter in this particular election petition, with equanimity, though painfully.

“The court’s ruling notwithstanding, Senator Adeyeye remains a credible politician with huge democratic credentials. While many may see this as a temporary setback, I urge him to brace up and see it as part of the sacrifice for the growth of democracy in the country.

“I am convinced that Senator Adeyeye will bounce back, in view of the pride of place he occupies in the hearts of his people.” The Governor said.

While congratulating Senator Abiodun Olujimi for the victory, Governor Fayemi also urged her to be magnanimous in victory and ensure that Ekiti interest is paramount in her agenda at the Senate.

Ayo Midele/Editor

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Pix: Prince Dayo Adeyeye

Prioritise Ekiti interest, Fayemi tells boundary commission - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has inaugurated the State Boundary Commission Committee and Boundary Technical Committee with a charge to always consider the best interest of Ekiti people above personal interest, reports ITREALMS.

The governor who restated that the loyalty of his government is to the people of Ekiti State whom the administration is out to serve, urged the committees to discharge their duties without fear or favour but with strict adherence to the rule of law.

Dr Fayemi, who inaugurated the committee at the Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office on Monday, said there are series of boundary disputes both inter State and intra-State waiting for the attention of the committees. He advised members of the committee to adopt Alternative Dispute Resolution method without resort to court.

“I like to implore members of the inaugurated commission to see your appointment as a call to service, a call to etch your name on the sands of time in Ekiti and a call to be a part of history. You must discharge your duty without fear or favour but with strict adherence to the rule of law.

“ In whatever you do, always consider the best interest of Ekiti State and Ekiti Kete far above your personal interest. Collectively we can build the society of our dreams and make Ekiti State the pride of all. We can only achieve this through selflessness”, he said.

The committee, according to Governor Fayemi is to, among other issues, deal with inter-local government boundary disputes with a view to resolving them; monitor trans-border relations with neighbouring states with a view to detecting areas of tension, possible conflicts and take necessary measures to address them, and to encourage negotiation on settlement of boundary disputes in preference to court action.

In his acceptance speech, the chairman of the State Boundary Commission Committee and Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi thanked the governor for the opportunity given the committee members to serve the State.

Egbeyemi noted that lives and properties have been lost to boundary conflicts; assuring that the committee will adopt a win-win approach to settling conflicts arising from boundary issues.

He solicited the cooperation of all communities in the State for the success of the committee in discharging its duties.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Deputy Governor, Mr. Sunday Komolafe had said that the non-existence of the committee for many years had resulted in many boundary disputes in some communities in the State.

He opined that with the constitution of the committee, disputed areas will be looked into and resolved as soon as possible.

The State Boundary Commission Committee which is headed by the Deputy Governor has the Commissioners for Finance, Works and Transportation, Agriculture, Information, Lands and Housing, and the Attorney General as members.

Other members are the Surveyor-General, the State Commissioner of Police, the State Director of the State Security Service, Executive Secretary of the Boundary Commission, the Oluyin of Iyin, Oba Ademola Ajakaye, the Ologotun of Ogotun, Oba Samuel Oyebade, and two boundary experts – Surveyor Ayeni and Surveyor Akeredolu.

The Technical Committee chaired by the Permanent Secretary in the Deputy Governor’s office comprises Permanent Secretaries in the Ministry of Works, Finance, Agric and Rural Development, Justice, Lands and Housing, Director of Forestry, a representative of the Director of SSS, representative of the Commissioner of Police and the Executive Secretary of the Boundary Commission.

Ayo Midele/Editor

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Ekiti private sector unions, non-indigenes hail Fayemi over peaceful poll - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Private Sector Unions and non-indigenous ethnic groups in Ekiti State have hailed Governor Kayode Fayemi for the peaceful conduct of the presidential and National Assembly elections in the State, reports ITREALMS.

The unions at a rally in Ado- Ekiti, the state capital, on Monday said the peaceful atmosphere during the election was not unconnected to the all-inclusive government of Governor Kayode Fayemi which has enabled all stakeholders to take ownership of the electioneering process.

In a statement signed by the Secretary to the Private Sector Union, Prince Aladeloye Oroya, the Union commended Fayemi for his “selfless and detribalized politics” which, according to the union, has endeared the governor to Ekiti people.

Oroya said the victory of the APC in Ekiti State was a product of Fayemi’s “unparalleled generosity and sportsmanship as well as President Muhammadu Buhari’s “personal integrity and public office records”.

The State President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Nathaniel Uzoma, said the rally was organized to felicitate with Buhari on his victory; adding that the outcome of the election amounted to an endorsement of the people-oriented programmes of the Buhari-led government.

“Your Excellency, we have come to congratulate you on the victor of President Buhari. All of us cannot go to Abuja but we know that you, as our very good friend, can extend our goodwill message to the president. It is good to allow the president continue his good works”, he said.

The chairman of Hausa community in the State, Badamosi Mahadi also commended the Governor for creating a peaceful environment for the election to hold in the State; noting that it is only in Ekiti State that ballot snatching and violence were not recorded during the polls.

Mahadi called on all Hausa people in the State to come out en masse on Saturday and vote for all the House of Assembly candidates of the All Progressives Congress in the State.

Responding, Governor Fayemi thanked the unions and non indigenous groups for rallying support for him and the APC in the last election.

Fayemi who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Hon. Biodun Omoleye said his government believes in peace because development can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace.

The governor said the hitch-free election in the State was made possible by the cooperation and unity demonstrated by all ethnic groups in the State.

He urged Ekiti people to vote en masse for the All Progressives Congress House of Assembly candidates on Saturday. 

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Fayemi hails voters' turn out - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has hailed voters turn out in Saturday's Presidential and National Assembly elections, saying the postponement of the  elections from last Saturday has not affected the turn out of the electorate in the State as the people trooped out en-masse to exercise their franchise, reports ITREALMS.

Speaking in Isan Ekiti after voting at Ogilolo unit 09, the governor also said that he was not aware of any incident of vote-buying in any part of the State; adding that reports he got showed that the election was without violence in virtually all parts of the State.

Dr Fayemi however noted that there were a few reports of card reader malfunction in a number of areas but added that INEC officials rose to the occasion. .

He added that in his polling unit at Isan Ekiti, the card reader did not malfunction as the process has been relatively smooth.

“In my polling unit, everything has been relatively smooth, the card reader worked perfectly. The process was smooth. The officials were disciplined and the voters were orderly in their conduct. The report I received from across the state so far, at least one can say that things are okay. There have been a few repots of card reader not working in a number of points across the state. I believe INEC is trying to correct those incidents of card reader malfunction but by and large, things are smooth so far. 

"Of course we are not at the end of the process yet and it will be too hasty to give 100% pass mark to the electoral management body. But for us here in Isan Ekiti where I voted, things are going relatively smoothly, he said.

Speaking on last weeks postponement of the election, Fayemi said the postponement did not discourage voters in Ekiti State as the electorate thronged the various polling units across the State.

He urged Nigerians not to hastily discredit INECs efforts but encourage the electoral commission to improve on its efforts in order to enable the nations democratic experience progress.

“Last week we were very disappointed when the process could not go as expected but I believe INEC should have learnt its lessons and done relatively well in its conduct but we all have a duty to strengthen our institutions and we must support our institutions to be strengthened. We must be very careful not to dismiss at every opportunity efforts that are made available by the institution responsible for this process. I think what happened last week was something that most Nigerians were unhappy about but if it enables INEC to address their own shortcomings and improve on the system to ensure that the votes of our people count, we would have cause to give INEC pass mark and give democracy a positive progress in our country, Fayemi said.

The governor and his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi who had arrived at the polling unit at 11:17am and queued up to be accredited before voting were honoured by the voters who unanimously asked them to leave the queue and cast their votes. They voted at 11:25am.

Ayo Midele/Editor

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Fayemi visits family of slain policeman, promises education support for children - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has commiserated with the Ekiti State Police Command and the family of the policeman that was killed by armed robbers last Thursday in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, reports ITREALMS.

It was an emotion laden visit at the home of late Kamoru Momoh, a CID operatives by Governor Fayemi, who was almost moved to tears sighting the wife and young children of the deceased. He promised the family that government would sponsor the education and other needs of the children.

Describing the incident as unfortunate, the Governor assured the family of the police officer of government support especially in the area of collecting Death certificate and carrying out of post mortem of the deceased because they said they don’t have money to do that.

Kamoru’s widow, Fatimah broke down in tears uncontrollably on sighting the governor and his team as she kept on shouting that her husband was a very hardworking officer who died in active service.

Governor Fayemi promised to ensure that security of lives and properties continues to be his top priorities.

He assured the people of the state that his government would remain focused and ensure that the perpetrators are tracked down and prosecuted.

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Fayemi approves monthly N100m to clear workers' arrears - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Demonstrating commitment to the welfare of workers and pensioners in Ekiti State, the Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has approved monthly release of N100 million naira to clear accumulated gratuities of retired workers in the state, reports ITREALMS.

The Governor, ITREALMS gathered, had last month approved a hundred per cent increase in monthly gratuity payment from N10 million to N20 million.

However, taking into consideration the current plight of many retired workers, who could not access their gratuity several years after their retirement owing to the paltry amount for gratuity payment, Governor Fayemi has directed the Ministry of Finance to further increase the monthly gratuity payment to N100 million per month. This was the amount paid per month during his first term.

According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Yinka Oyebode, the directive takes immediate effect, pending the time the state government would be able to find a creative approach to resolve the huge outstanding gratuity obligations of the state.

The Governor believes the increment will go a long way in ameliorating the plight of the state’s pensioners.

In a related development, Governor Fayemi has also approved the payment of severance allowance and outstanding salaries of 19 former members of the Ekiti State House of Assemblies and their aides who were denied their entitlement by the immediate past administration of Mr Ayodele Fayose.

Governor Fayemi believes it is unjust to deny workers their wages, saying that his administration will ensure that workers and pensioners get their entitlements as and when due.

Ayo Midele/Editor

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Fayemi doles out N194.3m for community projects, pays UBEC N3.3bn - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has distributed cheques worth N194.3 Million to 37 communities in the State for the completion of selected uncompleted community self-help projects, reports ITREALMS.

This is coming as Ekiti State Governor, has paid N3.3 billion as the State’s counterpart funding for the 2016, 2017 and 2018 Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) intervention projects.

Distributing the cheques in Ado Ekiti on Monday, Governor Fayemi stated that the 37 world bank-assisted projects were initiated during his first tenure but were “regrettably abandoned” by the Fayose-led administration; adding that his administration, being a responsive government, cannot allow abandoned projects litter the State.

The governor said he had recalled contractors handling abandoned 5km roads across the State in order to ensure that the roads are completed for the use of the people.

Fayemi said though 82 projects were presented, only 37 fell within the World Bank sponsorship guidelines; adding that the remaining projects would receive the attention of the state government.

“I am happy to inform you that attention is being placed on the new requests you have submitted during my last meeting with Town Unions/ Community Development Associations’ chairmen and secretaries.

As part of the resolution arrived at the meeting, very soon, the programme would accommodate more communities. We promise to make life more meaningful for our people and we are poised to fulfil our own part of the accord”, he said.

Governor Fayemi solicited the continued support for the “overall success “ of his administration and “that of President Muhammadu Buhari”.

In his speech, the General Manager of the State Community and Social Development Agency (EKCSDA), Mr. Steve Bamisaye, commended Governor Fayemi for facilitating the World Bank’s support for the project; saying that the governor’s “robust relationship with donor agencies” will bring about rapid grassroots development.

Bamisaye said the projects will boost the economy of the benefitting communities because the Community Project Management Committees have been mandated to engage local bricklayers and carpenters to give room for local content in the implementation of the projects.

Responding on behalf of the 37 benefiting communities, the Onisan of Isan, Oba Gabriel Adejuwon, appreciated the Governor for the gesture and promised that the communities would make judicious use of the fund.

The monarch urged the government to continue to seek more inter-governmental assistance on behalf of the communities in its quest to develop the state.

Ayo Midele/Editor

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Inequality greatest challenge to Nigeria's economy - Fayemi

Personality@ITREALMS:

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State recently spoke with REMMYNWEKE, Editor, ITREALMS, a member of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) in Ado-Ekiti on his second missionary journey and development in Nigeria, asserting that creating opportunities will enable a better society, inequality remains the greatest challenge to Nigeria's economy.

Excerpts.

You have been running the government for 100 days without complaining that the last government rendered you ineffective. How come governance has been running smoothly?

Second missionary journeys are by their nature not given to excuses. If I were to start giving excuses you will ask me that you were there before don’t you know that is how things would be? And if you know that’s how it would be, are you not prepared for the eventuality? Not making excuses is not to suggest that things were in absolutely perfect condition. They were not. Things had degenerated but I was not elected to reel out what’s bad about the situation. I was elected to make it better and that’s what we’ve been trying to do. The resources are not what they used to be; they are much lower but we managed within the available resources to make life better for the people.

I’ve been here for less than three months and we’ve paid four months salaries for that period. We’ve settled pensions for that period. We’ve even started paying severance of past political office holders who were not in a position to receive their severance in that period. We’ve re-introduced free education in the state. We’ve introduced free health programme. We are starting a health mission across the state. Our empowerment programmes are restarting, putting back about 10,000 school leavers back to the school volunteer programme that we used to run.

Basically, for us, we just feel very strongly that our people deserve a new lease of life. They have had a pretty rough ride in the last four years. Lessons have been learned across the board. So, to start giving excuses or to start explaining away the challenges that we have… Challenges will always be there but our duty, and if you recall in my inaugural speech the day I was sworn in, we made a pledge that on our 100th day I will give a state of the state address that will explain in details what we met here.

Part of the reasons why we have been talking or giving interviews or saying this is what went wrong in the past is that we felt the people needed to have a full picture and we didn’t want to do it by our own reckoning so we hired Pricewaterhouse Coopers to do a forensic audit of the state. They are still here and by Thursday we will make the outcome of their investigations public. It is then up to you to do independent verification of what they’ve come up with in terms of the finance of the state particularly and in terms of the way things have been run. We want an independent, credible audit firm to do this and release that information.

Are you confident President Muhammadu Buhari will be re-elected?

It is in my own personal interest for the President to be re-elected. So, let me put my interest upfront so that there is no doubt in my mind. I am also a political scientist and to the best of my knowledge - I don’t want to be complacent - I think the President has a very good chance of being re-elected. Every evidence I can see before me, in spite of the feelings that may be one of disappointment in certain circles because the expectation was much when we came in. Have we met the expectation of the public in its totality? Absolutely not. But, have we done a much better job of protecting the commonwealth of the people? I’d like to think we have. I think it’s going to be a question at the end of the day for the voter who is best placed to protect our interest across the board.

I think the President will win the election.

What is your agenda for women in the spirit of balance for better and also against the backdrop that your wife is a champion of the cause of women?

I would like to think that for us we operate by law to the best of our ability. We were the first state, before it even became a national debate, to pass the equal opportunities law in Nigeria. That was informed by our belief that there is no way you can build a better society by reinforcing patriarchy. You just have to find means of broadening the base, protecting the minorities, creating opportunities that will enable us to have a better society.

Unfortunately, things have gone pear-shaped, in the four years that we have been away here, some of the things we’ve noticed are quite shocking. Rape incidents have increased in Ekiti yet Ekiti was the first state to actually put in place a sexual violence register.

We’ve also noticed that we’ve suffered significantly from either disinterestedness on the part of the government or general malaise in the society. Fifty-five percent of our girls are now out of school in the state that used to have the highest enrolment in the whole of the country – 96 per cent enrolment as of 2014 when I was leaving. And it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know why we have those problems.

If you don’t pay workers on the one hand, and on the other hand you impose an education tax, somebody who has not eaten will not send a child to school especially in the rural areas and that’s why one of the very first things I did the day I was sworn in was to cancel the education levy and reintroduce free education in the state because that’s one of the basic ways to create equal opportunity.

If there’s no equality of access there’s no way you are going to create opportunities for all particularly for the girl child who is disadvantaged anyway from being educated.

So we start from that and I know we like to play a game of numbers. How many people do you have in your cabinet who are women? How many do you have in your House of Assembly who are women? How many do you have in this and that? Whilst I think it’s important to recognise presence and more because if you have people of a particular gender they tend to understand the problems of the gender better than others, but it doesn’t necessarily follow that it’s going to be like that. I don’t really have a cabinet per se yet. But I’m going to and it’s not going to take too long.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is presently not as coherent as it was in 2015. You had members in the National Assembly who were more like opposition and you have governors sponsoring candidates in parties. How do you think the electorate who fought to see the APC come into power, would feel?

Parties are not paragons of excellence. Parties are products of the social milieu too and they would always contain the good, the bad and the ugly. So, the reality is that APC is not different. We are not organic enough yet partly by the nature of our formation and coming together, partly because of the exigencies of the times and those who are not fulfilled by nature. Nigerians are not particularly promoters of delayed gratification whether in political parties or in government or in journalism. We want quick results, we want quick wins.

Every journalist comes here and asks me about quick wins. They don’t want to ask me about long term development goals. We are victims of that in the APC too. You can say we are victims of our quick success. Our party was formed in 2013. By March 2015 we won an election, even though we were still at the time not organic, there were still variegated interests being pursued by members of the party.

You then ended up with different centres of power in the party and people started hobnobbing with different centres of power. It’s just the nature of politics but then it’s not unique to us.

Even parties that are long established, I mean there is a civil war going on within the Republican Party in America. There is a massive civil war going on within the Tories in the United Kingdom. Even in much more mature, settled democracy, it’s taken four months for Sweden to form a government. So maybe we are not as bad as it seems but we are not as good as we would like to be. But APC is a party of the future.

President Muhammadu Buhari said some time ago that the economy is in bad shape. If President Buhari should win the election, with what you know about the economy, what would you advise him to do to ensure that we keep the economy running for the society to be better?

For me the greatest challenge in this economy is inequality. It’s not even poverty. This is not the only society where you have poor people, but it’s the gap between the mindlessly rich and the hopelessly poor that I see as the greatest challenge that we must address. How do we address that without focusing on social investment? We are only scratching the surface.

I don’t like to take credit for it but many of the things we were doing here before I went into the wilderness. When I went into the wilderness I had the opportunity of serving as the person in charge of policy and manifesto in our party. We tried to introduce all of that, our social security for the elderly, our youth volunteer scheme, those are the things that are now known as N-Power, conditional cash transfer, Trader Moni and all that. But we are only scratching the surface.

All together in the last three years that government have effectively run the budget, we haven’t even spent N300 billion on the social investment programmes. And in that same period, we have spent N700 billion to rescue Keystone Bank. We are probably going to spend more to rescue Skye Bank in its latter-day form as Polaris.

If you consider how much we spend, N6 trillion to rescue banks in the previous era, if we pour that into the hopeless and hapless segment of our population maybe we begin to address this disempowering impact of inequality on our society but it’s not just by dashing out cash to people, it’s by creating opportunities for our people as well and I think that’s where we have not done enough.

We’ve scratched the surface as I’ve said. We’ve done a lot. We now earn 60 percent less than what we used to earn and yet we are doing a lot more. People don’t give us too much credit for what we are doing and I don’t think it’s your fault. It’s also partly our fault. We are not as friendly with the media and we are not giving information as we ought to. Maybe we need training from you on how to package our views so they become more accessible and readable and available to the public but all of the things that we said we were going to do in our manifesto, in terms of concrete impact on the population, we’ve actually started.

But the way to juxtapose that is – What was the situation beforehand? Where were we? Where are we now? And where would we like to be? So for me, the advice that I will give first is that we must not let the perfect become the enemy of the good. Some good is going on in this country but our search for the perfect is probably beclouding our own honest sense of perspective of the good that is happening and that cannot be blamed on the citizenry. It has to be blamed on leadership.

We have to make that information as available as possible. Is this the best that we can be? Absolutely not. So when I hear objective criticisms of our government, I take it. I’m a local politician I’m not an Abuja minister so I hear a lot more. I spent the entire day in the market today with the Vice President and people genuinely expressed their concern. I went on a home visit with the Vice President this afternoon and an old man, 80-year-old, actually spoke from the heart about what we are all experiencing. I don’t know anyone who is not experiencing it in the country. The man told us that “Look I’m 80 I really don’t need anything. But Mr Vice President, can you just make sure that my children get jobs? They are graduates, they don’t have jobs.”

I don’t know any home in this country where you don’t have two, three, four unemployed graduates. I know the number of text messages I get even in small Ekiti from our people. Those are the areas that I think we can make a difference and we can lift our people out of poverty. It’s been done in many other places, so there’s no reason why we cannot spend the next four years focusing on that.

There are some things that we have not paid enough attention to. We need a quicker turnaround in decision making and implementation. We need to be more responsive to the yearnings of our people so that they don’t feel we are taking them for granted and we need to focus on better alternatives than (crude) oil and I don’t know any better alternative in other countries that have found themselves in our situation – Vietnam, Indonesia, China – you name it, the first route is agriculture, out of poverty. It’s when they’ve done that that they then move on to manufacturing, industrialisation.

But we can jump the hoop. We don’t have to re-invent the wheel because these things have been done elsewhere and I believe that Nigeria holds the hope for black people in the world. We need to demonstrate by example.

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