Ekiti assembly summons Fayose, ex-speaker over LG funds
By Gbenga Sodeinde, Ado-Ekiti
Ekiti state House of Assembly has summoned former Governor Ayo Fayose to appear before its committee on public account over alleged misappropriation of local government funds while in office.
Also summoned alongside the former governor are the former state Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Dapo Olagunju, the former Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Kola Kolade and all the former 16 local government chairmen.
The assembly’s decision is as a result of the adoption of the recommendations of the joint Committee of the House on Public Petition and Local Governments that were recently directed to look into a petition submitted to it by eight suspended council chairmen in the state
The assembly had in December 2018 suspended the 16 council chairmen while eight were reinstated in July, 2019.
Presenting the report, the Chairman of the Public Petition Committee, Adegoke Olajide said the remaining eight chairmen on suspension made a plea to the House for the review of their indictment and possible reinstatement.
He said the chairmen during an appearance before the committee confessed to have diverted funds of their councils on monthly basis to an account, but said the action was in compliance with the directive of the former governor.
The legislator added that the council chairmen provided documents to back up their allegations, claiming that the instruction to withdraw the funds was often passed to them through the former ALGON Chairman in the state, Dapo Olagunju.and the Commissioner for Local Government, Kola Kolade.
The assembly at plenary also summoned a former Speaker of the House, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, some suspended members of the fifth assembly as well as the former governor over the passage of a N10 billion revised appropriation law towards the end of the tenure of the former governor.
The motion for the summons was moved by the House Leader, Gboyega Aribisogan and was motion was unanimously approved by members of the House.
A former aide to Fayose on New Media, Lere Olayinka was also directed to appear before the state lawmakers for alleged non-remittance of commercial revenue of above N13 million while serving as supervisor at the state owned broadcasting service of Ekiti state.
The summon was consequent upon a motion moved by the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Ayokunle Yemisi at plenary in Ado-Ekiti,
Ayokunle called for the implementation of the white paper on the fact finding committee in respect of the government owned broadcasting outfit.
The lawmaker alleged that Olayinka operated an account with a first generated bank where commercial proceeds belonging to the television and radio outfits are diverted to and the purchase of phones at exorbitant rates as contained in the white paper.
