Influential politician and Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has revealed that he paid one million naira to the Olukere of Ikere-Ekiti for the relocation of shrines in the state.
Gov. Ayo Fayose
While speaking in an interview programme on the Ekiti state radio and television on Tuesday night, Governor Ayodele Fayose, said that the state government paid N1 million to the Olukere of Ikere-Ekiti, Ganiyu Obasoyin, for the relocation of shrines on the site of the dualised Ado-Ikere Road.
The outspoken governor said it was unfortunate that some community leaders and youths were trying to frustrate government’s efforts at developing the town in order to make life better for the people.
”It is my pleasure that we progress and our society becoming better. In my first term, I started the dualisation and the project stopped where I left it and we started again when I came back to office. We decided to do the project in three phases and we are on the third phase. When we started, we met the Ogoga of Ikere, Oba Jimi Adu Alagbado, who said there were shrines along the project site for us to handle.
”Later, the Olukere came into the scene and said the affected area is his domain and that the issue of relocating the shrines did not concern Ogoga. I told him that we might not be able to bend the road. Prominent Ikere indigenes such as former Governor of the old Ondo State, Chief Bamidele Olumilua, were at the meeting.
“To help in performing the necessary rituals to relocate the shrines, the Olukere was given one million naira on January 11, 2017 to relocate the deities and shrines. He collected the money at the Government House, Ado-Ekiti and the vouchers he signed are still available. In as much as we have respect for traditional institutions, it was a surprise to see the Olukere leading irate youths to stop contractors from doing their job. I want to appeal to the Olukere to allow peace to reign,” he said.
While commenting on the refusal of his predecessor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, to appear before a Commission of Enquiry probing the financial transactions of the state during his tenure, Fayose said it was strange.
”The law that the House of Assembly relied on to mandate the state government to set up the panel was signed by Fayemi himself and he has gone to court to challenge the same when he has been asked to give account of his stewardship. During my inauguration speech, I gave details of the debt profile of the state. Fayemi took N25 billion bond and N31 billion commercial loans. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) were the facilitators and they wrote to me to ask if the projects, for which the loans taken, were executed and I said no.
“Since 2012, Ekiti loses N1.1 billion intervention fund from UBEC yearly because we were suspended due to the diversion of N860 million by the same government. In Osun State, Governor Aregbesola set up a panel on Oyinlola and the latter appeared before the panel. Fayemi signed the law and why is he afraid? They say you should come and give an account of your stewardship and you are running to court, for what?,” the governor asked.