Ekiti Asb’ly orders Fayose to set up judicial panel to probe Fayemi

House action akin to legislative rascality, says Fayemi’s aide

Following alleged noticeable discrepancies in the finances of Ekiti state the under immediate past governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the state

House of Assembly has mandated Governor Ayodele Fayose to set up a judicial or administrative panel to probe his predecessor.

The Assembly said the step became imperative sequel to Fayemi’s refusal to appear before the House to shed light on the alleged
diversion of N852 billion Universal Basic Education Board’s fund during his tenure.

But reacting to Thursday’s resolution of the state Assembly, Fayemi’s special assistant on media, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, said the action of the lawmakers is nothing but legislative rascality.

The Assembly, relying on Section 129 0f the 1999 constitution, had on March 22, 2016 and February 7, 2017 ordered Fayemi to appear before it and clear his name over the foregoing allegation and many other misappropriation allegedly perpetrated during his time.

Fayemi, however refused to appear and later approached the Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti and slammed N500 million libel suit on the Assembly, citing alleged defamation of character to justify his action.

The Assembly at its plenary on Thursday, presided over by the Speaker, Hon Kola Oluwawole, berated Fayemi for treating the Assembly with
contempt, saying this was not expected of him as a former governor of the state.

After exhaustive deliberation, where Samuel Omotoso, Abiola Jeje, and Ekundayo Akinleye had contributed on the need to compel the
executive to constitute the panel to probe Fayemi, the Majority Leader, Hon Tunji Akinyele, moved the motion for the adoption of the motion.

Before putting the motion to a voice vote, the Speaker noted that “Dr John Kayode Fayemi has slighted this house by his conduct by refusing to
honour our invitation. This Assembly duly invited him to come and explain how he managed the finances of this state , particularly the
SUBEN fund and other projects.

“The House had summoned him three times, but he disobeyed the regulation of this house. So, the State government should as a matter
of urgency set up a judicial or administrative panel of inquiry to look into the finances of this State under Fayemi’s government”, he said.

The chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon Omotoso, slammed the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris and other security
agencies over their lukewarm dispositions to arrest Fayemi despite the valid warrant of arrest issued by the House against him.

“The IGP can’t claim that Governor Fayemi is at large. He has been attending the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting and nobody even
called him for questioning or thought of arresting him. That was unfortunate.

“Let me at this time call on the Acting President , Prof Yemi Osinbajo that Fayemi has no moral standing to be a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria , having breached the1999 constitution by his refusal to honour us. If we fail to act now, then the country will
be operating a banana republic where there re no rules,” he said.

Hons Jeje and Akinleye, in their submissions said the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Ayodeji Daramola to live up to expectation in composing the judicial panel to unravel the mystery behind the state’s finances under the immediate past administration.

Oyebode said in a statement made available to journalists that the decision of the lawmakers was not only ill-advised but reckless, considering the
fact that two different law suits surrounding the purported probe are still pending in court.

“Simply put, the lawmakers’ attempt to institute a judicial panel or administrative panel, while the two cases involving the House of Assembly,
its leadership and a top official of the present administration (In an Abuja High Court and Ado Ekiti Federal High Court) are yet to be determined
is sub judice.

“And, sadly, this is just a reflection of their poor knowledge of the law.

“The lawmakers are advised to study the constitution properly and understand their roles as well as the limit of their powers, as this desperate attempt to implicate the immediate past administration is nothing but another wild goose chase,” Oyebode added